The family of murdered banker Alistair Wilson have said they have âlost faithâ in Police Scotland, labeling the force âincompetentâ.
Wilson, 30, was shot on the doorstep of his home in Nairn in the Highlands in 2004.. The killer was never caught.
His widow Veronica and son Andrew, who is now 24, told the Press and Journal newspaper that his relationship with the police had âsteadily deterioratedâ over the past 18 months because outstanding issues were not properly dealt with.
Police Scotland said they remain committed to finding the killer and getting justice for the Wilson family.
Earlier this week, Scotlandâs top law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, ruled âfull reinvestigationâ of the casewhich Wilsonâs family said âupsetting and huge disappointment as the announcement felt far from the âgood news storyâ that Police Scotland wanted to beâ.
The re-investigation of the case will see a new prosecution team from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and officers from Police Scotland work on a full cold case investigation.
On the night he was killed, the father of two had been helping to get his children ready for bed when the killer came to the door.
A fat men aged 20 to 40 years and wearing a baseball cap spoke to Mrs. Wilson, asking her husbandâs name.
When he came down, the man handed him a blue envelope with âPaulusâ written on it.
Mr. Wilson went inside for a moment and when he returned, the man opened fire with a pistol.
The weapon was found the following week in a nearby drain by council workers carrying out gully clearance.
Forensic analysis is identified as murder weaponbut the shooter has never been identified.
The case was covered by the BBC Scotland podcast Murder at the door in 2018.
âPoor judgment and lack of responsibilityâ
In a statement, Wilsonâs family said for almost 20 years, they had âsupported all aspects of the police investigationâ.
At the request of the force, he had previously agreed to stay out of the spotlight and refused many requests for an interview except for a formal police appeal.
With the 20th anniversary of Mr. Wilsonâs unsolved murder approaching in November, the family said they felt âsad and disappointed in having no other choice than to speak out publiclyâ, after exhausting every other avenue for resolution.
In December last year, Mr. Wilsonâs family complained to the Police Investigation and Review Commission regarding the handling of force investigations.
Police Scotland and COPFS said they had met the family to discuss the matter.
The family have also now made complaints about the conduct of the chief crime boss, Det Ch Supt Paul Livingstone.
The family said: âAs a family we have received a number of conclusions from the Professional Standards Department of Police Scotland (PSD) and the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner, with the former upholding one complaint against DCS Livingstone.
âPending the outcome of the upcoming disciplinary proceedings, DCS Livingstone remains in his job and has not even been suspended.
âHis continued oversight of every homicide investigation in Scotland, including Alistairâs, is an unacceptable situation â particularly as his integrity has been called into question.â
The familyâs statement added: âThe poor judgment and lack of accountability at the highest levels of Police Scotland has regrettably undermined the confidence we had in our ability to secure justice for Alistair.
âLoyalty and co-operation with Police Scotland has been long-standing in a sometimes tumultuous relationship in which the actions of senior leaders have been damaged beyond repair.â
The family also said their request to meet with Police Chief Jo Farrell was denied.
Police Scotland said in a statement to BBC Scotland News that a new strategic senior investigating officer has been appointed to oversee the investigation into Mr Wilsonâs murder in place of Det Ch Supt Livingstone.
He added that it was in the process of identifying a team to re-investigate Mr Wilsonâs murder which would be overseen by a senior official who would carry out a full re-investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said: âUnsolved murder cases are never closed in Scotland and there is no time to inform the police.
âWe would appeal to anyone with information that has not been shared with the police forward and report.â
âDenial of justice for two decadesâ
Wilsonâs eldest son, Andrew, who was four years old when his father was killed, said: âI donât know why Paul Livingstone hasnât been sacked and if Jo Farrell doesnât reconsider our request for a meeting, then we will ask his position too.
âWhat we are suffering from is not just incompetent police leadership and, if it continues, we will risk catching my fatherâs killer and getting the justice my family deserves.â
Mrs Wilson added: âI feel that my children were robbed of a father, but they and my husband were denied justice twenty years ago from this tragedy, which is even more traumatic for the family.
âWe have lost confidence in Police Scotland.â