The family of a man who died in unexplained circumstances in Wick harbour almost 20 years ago is calling for Scotland’s new chief constable to order a murder inquiry into his death.
The badly injured body of electrician Kevin McLeod, 24, was recovered from the Caithness harbour after he had been on a night out with friends to celebrate his forthcoming wedding.
He was last seen in the early hours of February 8, 1997, with his body recovered from the sea the following morning.
The pathologist’s report showed he had suffered serious internal injuries, but his death remains unresolved.
A fatal accident inquiry found that foul play could not be ruled out, and his family has been desperate to discover the truth ever since.
In 2011, they wrote to the fiscal imploring him to urge the police to make an appeal for information in relation to the death, but their request was turned down.
They also made a complaint to Northern Constabulary about its failure to follow the fiscal’s instructions that a murder inquiry should be carried out, but was told the force had no record of this request.
His parents, June and Hugh McLeod, have now written to Chief Constable Phil Gormley asking him to make Police Scotland’s first ever appeal for information about their son’s death.
Their letter also calls on him to “re-investigate, or at the very least, instruct your officers to undertake a cold case review regarding the circumstances and evidence relating to Kevin’s unsolved death”.
And it asks the chief constable to meet them to discuss the matter in more detail.
Kevin McLeod’s uncle, Allan McLeod, of Alness, said: “It took 27 years for the Hillsborough disaster and the truth has come out.
“We won’t give up until Kevin’s death has been properly investigated.”
He added that the family believed his nephew had been murdered and there had been “a cover up”.
Mr McLeod said: “The inquiry after his death lasted two to three hours and it has since come out that Kevin’s clothing was destroyed not long after the fiscal issued his murder inquiry instruction.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “A letter has been received at the chief constable’s office and a response will be issued to Mr and Mrs McLeod.”