A son of murdered Nairn banker Alistair Wilson has accused Police Scotland of “kicking the can down the road” while a suspect in his dad’s deadly doorstep shooting “walks free”.
In an exclusive interview, Andrew Wilson said he felt “betrayed” by the force for its handling of the 20-year-old case – particularly in the wake of a senior detective’s questionable conduct.
Mr Wilson, 24, slammed Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone’s 11th-hour decision to stop the planned arrest of a potential suspect on May 15 last year.
DCS Livingstone then ignored the Wilsons’ request that he personally explain the sudden U-turn for nine days – and then later misled them in a face-to-face meeting.
A misconduct investigation found evidence DCS Livingstone had falsely claimed to the family that he wasn’t aware of the arrest plan or that they wanted to speak with him.
However, the controversial Major Crime boss has since kept his job and a vague letter from the force to Alistair’s family stated that “the matter has now concluded” – without clarification.
Reacting publicly for the first time, Andrew told The Press and Journal: “I feel betrayed by the establishment that’s there to uphold justice.”
He added: “I have zero faith in Police Scotland. How can we trust anyone if we can’t even trust the police?”
In September, Scotland’s most senior prosecutor, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC instructed the under-fire constabulary to reinvestigate the 2004 tragedy.
But, with around 10,000 documents including approximately 6,000 statements and 14,000 police actions all to be re-examined, the process could take several years.
“I feel the force are just trying to hide behind the ‘live investigation line’ to silence us and kick the can down the road while a murder suspect walks free,” Andrew said.
Relations between Wilson family and police went into meltdown
In a previous interview with the P&J, the banker’s widow Veronica, 53, branded Police Scotland “incompetent.”
Then, the family described the news of the reinvestigation as “upsetting and a huge disappointment … far from the ‘good news story’ that Police Scotland wanted it to be.”
They added they had “lost confidence” in the case ever being solved.
A new Strategic Senior Investigating Officer (SSIO), Detective Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow, was parachuted into the beleaguered murder enquiry around that time.
However, The Press and Journal can reveal that DCS Chow is moving to a different, additional role after only a couple of months as SSIO.
‘Police Scotland is committed to the reinvestigation of Alistair Wilson’s murder’
The new position as a divisional commander will see the senior officer take on the day-to-day responsibility for policing across Ayrshire.
A Police Scotland spokesman told The P&J: “Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow remains the SSIO and her role within the reinvestigation team has not changed.
“This position remains separate to her role as local policing commander for Ayrshire.”
The spokesman added: “The Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Ally Semple, is responsible for running the re-investigation and continues to report into CS Chow.
“Police Scotland is committed to the reinvestigation of Alistair Wilson’s murder and both CS Chow and DCI Semple will continue to support the Wilson family and keep them updated of any developments.”
Police Scotland excludes The P&J from media access
Last Thursday, the family privately marked the 20th anniversary of the husband and father-of-two’s horrific death at his home on Crescent Road.
The P&J requested an interview with DCS Chow to mark the milestone, but Police Scotland declined.
Instead, the force granted on-camera interviews for national TV broadcasters and released a statement from DCS Chow.
It said: “The team reinvestigating Alistair’s murder are absolutely committed to doing everything they can to get justice for his family.”
Police Scotland has not explained the rationale behind the decision to exclude Nairn’s local newspaper from media engagement.
Alistair, 30, was gunned down with an antique WWII pocket pistol by a stranger who had first knocked on the family’s front door and asked for him by name.
More than half a dozen detectives have led investigations over the last two decades but no one has ever been arrested let alone charged for the vicious attack.
After Mr Wilson died on the evening of November 28 2004, it was revealed he had lodged a formal objection to decking installed outside the Havelock Hotel and pub opposite his home, complaining about noise, broken glass and a lack of privacy.
The document was sent to Highland Council’s planning department, which publicly identified him, the week that he was brutally slain outside his property.
Detectives preparing to arrest a man in the first half of last year were treating the planning application row as a motive for the murder.
The hotel owner at the time of the killing, Andy Burnet previously assisted police officers as a key witness but is not being treated as a suspect.
Planning application row was possibly motive for murder
The man who came close to being arrested on May 15 2023 was in prison at the time for an unrelated crime.
He lived in Nairn when the shooting unfolded and was a frequent visitor to the Havelock.
The former emergency service worker went on to live elsewhere in Scotland, but during his Nairn days was thought by his neighbours to keep guns.
He was described as in his 20s when Alistair was murdered, fitting the description of the alleged shooter, who police believe was aged 20-40 years old at the time.
Read more:
- Exclusive: Murdered Nairn banker’s family brands Police Scotland ‘incompetent’
- Exclusive: Family fury over top cop’s ‘misleading comments’ on Nairn banker murder case
- John Swinney dodges claim chief constable ‘caught in a lie’ over handling of unsolved Nairn banker murder case
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