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Buckie councillor hate mail investigation hits a brick wall

Former Buckie councillor Gordon Cowie is disappointed investigations into hate mail sent to him have stalled. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson
Former Buckie councillor Gordon Cowie is disappointed investigations into hate mail sent to him have stalled. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

Investigations into hate mail sent to a former Moray councillor have hit a brick wall.

Police Scotland say they have no positive lines of inquiries into who sent the abusive and threatening letters to Gordon Cowie.

Mr Cowie represented Buckie as an independent councillor until May this year.

His main reason for not seeking re-election was the increasing anger he and his family had been exposed to verbally, online and in hate mail.

Mr Cowie said the news he received from the police was “very disappointing”.

He added: “You walk up the street and folk speak to you, and you’re thinking ‘could it be them?’

Former Moray councillor Gordon Cowie.

“You’ve no idea – it’s terrible. I’ve just no time for this.

“I can take any abuse you can throw at me, but have the courage to write your name on a letter.

“Come out from behind the anonymity.”

In a second blow Mr Cowie was reported to the Standards Commission for Scotland for allegedly breaking the Councillors’ Code of Conduct on a planning decision taken in March 2021.

However, the commission is taking no action against him as no breach of the code has been found.

He said: “I’ve also heard from the Standards Commission and there’s no case to answer there.

“At least that’s one release.”

‘Very disappointing’

Four anonymous letters were sent to Mr Cowie, the first in November last year and the rest over the following few weeks.

He said: “They were abusive and threatening.

“It was notes, and the stamps weren’t right they had been used before.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police in Buckie have carried out extensive inquiries into a report of threatening and abusive communication, first reported in November 2021.

“There are no positive lines of inquiry and the complainer has been updated.

“Officers will investigate any further information they receive regarding the matter.”

No positive lines of inquiry

Mr Cowie represented Buckie until May 2022 after winning a by-election in January 2014.

When he stood down he told the Press and Journal: “I just can’t put my family through the hell they’ve had to deal with over the last few years any more.”

Campaign group Save Slochy Woodlands made the complaint to the Standards Commissioner, saying Mr Cowie should have declared an interest and removed himself from the planning review body when the houses at Portessie were approved.

The group claimed he had a friendship with one of the directors of Morlich Homes, who appealed an earlier decision rejecting their application.

However the Standards Commission said it was not “necessary or appropriate” to take the matter further as no breach of the code of conduct had been found.

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