They were exposed to public opprobrium again yesterday when a former director of Rangers Football Club was awarded over £600,000 in damages for malicious prosecution.
Imran Ahmad was charged in connection with fraud relating to the purchase of the Ibrox club’s assets in 2015.
However, the charges against the club’s former commercial director were eventually dropped.
The pay-out from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service brings the total compensation bill relating to the Rangers case to more than £52 million.
- Ex-Rangers director to get apology over prosecution
- Former Rangers director to sue police
- Ex-Rangers chief Charles Green wins £6.3m pay out
- Ex-Ibrox administrator ‘failed’ by police
In 2021, Mr Ahmad and the former Rangers chief executive Charles Green received a public apology from the Lord Advocate who said the pair should not have been prosecuted and that the prosecutions were malicious.
Mr Green later received damages of £6.3 million.
Former administers David Whitehouse and Paul Clarke were awarded £10.5 million each and also given an apology.
The company they worked for also received damages of more than £15 million.
A total of seven people were arrested in relation to the purchase of Rangers by businessman Craig Whyte in 2012 and the club’s subsequent administration.
The charges against six were eventually dropped and former owner Mr Whyte was eventually cleared of fraud after trial.
BBC Scotland reporter Chris McLaughlin has learned that Mr Ahmad offered to settle his case with an apology in 2019 in a bid to clear his name and move on but the Crown Office opted to fight the claims of wrongful arrest.
A judge-led inquiry into the failings of the fraud probe over the sale of Rangers is to be held once all related legal proceedings have concluded.
Meanwhile,
Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader and former police office Wendy Chamberlain MP has today unveiled new analysis showing that women are underrepresented in many areas of Police Scotland and warned that lack of proper funding could reverse progress in increasing diversity.
Analysis by the party ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday 8th March, reveals that:
- There are almost twice as many male police officers (11,064) as there are female police officers (5,549).
- Among those ranked Inspector or above, the disparity is even larger, with 900 male officers and 350 female officers.
- The number of female PCs has actually fallen by 54 since 2021.
- Despite women outnumbering men by 3,621 to 2,247 among Police Scotland’s civilian staff roles, the top roles remain male-dominated with 58 men reaching Grade 11 and above compared to 34 women.
In 2022 a report by Dame Louise Casey warned that an “anything goes” culture had been allowed to develop in the Met with racists, misogynists and criminals allowed to stay in the force.
On Friday a review was published into how off-duty Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens was able to abduct, rape and murder Sarah Everard, which recommended improving vetting and examined the extent to which any issues relating to his behaviour, particularly in relation to women, were known and raised by colleagues.
Wendy Chamberlain said: “This is an area where Police Scotland need to do more. It was an area that the 2018 Angiolini Review highlighted and the outgoing Chief Constable agreed.
“As Police Scotland goes forward under Jo Farrell’s new leadership, it must reflect on these numbers, closely and carefully, and take meaningful steps to ensure that the police service is as diverse as the public it serves.
Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell – “should reflect on these numbers”.
“Within the service, staff surveys should be regularly on offer so that issues can be identified early on and discriminatory practices and behaviours rooted out.
“However encouraging more women into the national force will be especially difficult in an environment where it hasn’t been properly funded.
“The Scottish Government need to work with the Chief Constable to ensure that the service has the support and resources that it needs to keep communities safe and that officers and staff are able to live up to their full potential.”