This is my record of events in late August 2018.
The actions of the investigating officer, the Permanent Secretary, The Crown Agent and the police provides further evidence of a conspiracy to “get” Alec Salmond.
Your comment would be useful.
20 August 2018: MacKinnon spoke to both complainers and advised them that their complaints would probably be referred to the police.
20 August 2018: MacKinnon met with the Crown Agent (having also communicated with him, on 17 and 19 August 2018) and committed the transfer to his office of all documentation pertaining to the complaints and any decision.
Comment: What the hell!! before a decision is even made!!!!
20 August 2018: Evans decided on the complaints then sent all information pertaining to the investigation and her decision to Richards who forwarded the entire package to the Crown agent Harvie together with the request that he pass it on to the police for their action.
She also alerted Ms B to events and told her to expect a call from the police very soon.
Click to access SP_SGHHC_-_FN45.pdf
21 August 2018: At a meeting convened by Harvie to discuss matters for investigation of criminality with CC Livingstone and DCS Boal, he told them that his line manager Leslie Evans had forwarded him her decision on complaints made by two civil servants against Alex for referral to the police, despite the complainers against Alex wanting to keep the police out of the matter.
He further advised that Evans had decided to make a public statement on Alex’s case including a notice that the matter had been passed to Police Scotland for investigation.
DCS Boal strongly advised against it and refused to accept a copy of the internal misconduct investigation report.
The terse exchange of views confirmed the urgent desire of the Scottish Government to get the information into the public domain.
Detective Chief Superintendent Lesley Boal told the Holyrood Inquiry: “Harvie passed on what he considered were relevant statements, although they were “more a series of listed questions and responses from anonymised individuals.
He told me two individuals had made formal complaints, but that there may be other potential complainers who had not engaged in the internal conduct investigation.
It was agreed that a proactive approach would be required whereby other persons who held similar roles may need to be approached.
Harvie offered me a copy of the Scottish Government’s internal conduct conclusion report, which contained detailed allegations.
I refused this offer and neither I, nor the Chief Constable, viewed the document.
I was also informed that Scottish Government may be making a public statement in relation to the outcome of their investigation and potentially to refer to information being provided to Police Scotland.
Both the Chief Constable and I both voiced our concerns at such a statement being provided.
As such, it was agreed that the main priority was to make contact with the two individuals who had made a complaint to the Scottish Government.”
Comment: An interesting aside was the comment from Alex when he was told about Crown Agent Harvie’s meeting with the Police. Referring to the leak, he said:
“Evans was asked about that in questioning, and she said that it had caused enormous distress to everyone concerned. I am absolutely sure that it did – to the complainants, to me, to everybody. The only question that I would have for Evans is this: Notwithstanding the leak, what did she think would have happened if she had gone ahead and put out the statement at 5 o’clock on that day? “I find it extraordinary.”
21 August 2018: Evans office contacted Alex to say that Evans was not in a position to write on the outcome of the investigation. Evans office was asked for an explanation of the delay by Alex.
Mackinnon contacted Ms A and Ms B to say that a police referral was likely to occur that day.
So they were advised of Evans decision 2 days before she told Alex.
22 August 2018: Ms A and Ms B, Alex and Sturgeon were each provided with a copy of Evans Decision Report. Ms A and Ms B spoke to Evans in private.
22 August 2018: Alex ‘s legal team wrote very strongly worded letters each to Evans and Sturgeon advising both of them that the actions they had instructed and decided upon was illegal, contrary to good staff relations and breached every statute of employment Law
Click to access SP_SGHHC_-_FN46.pdf
Click to access SP_SGHHC_-_FN44.pdf
Click to access SP_SGHHC_-_FN43.pdf
23 August 2018: Evans further informed them that she had forwarded all case documentation to the Lord Advocate’s office. Alex’s counsel objected with an added observation that her actions were without foundation and a breach of protocol.
23 August 2018: Evans advised Sturgeon that a FOI request had been received in mid- June 2018. An answer was due mid-July and had been deferred but she had decided that the information requested would be released and a press statement would be released at 1700 hours (despite Alex objecting). See 18 June 2018 and 20 September 2018.
Comment: Evans surrendered the investigation of allegations against Alex to the Police 2 days before she advised him and the 2 complainants of her intent to press on with an unnecessary reply to an outstanding FOI request, when she knew the enquirer had left the employ of the newspaper and there was no further interest. Her threat to go public at 1700 hours was always an empty one since this would have been construed to be interfering in a Police investigation.
caltonjock 