- Russell Findlay has raged at the news that the full bill of payout related to the Rangers malicious prosecution scandal could reach £60.5million.
Audit Scotland revealed the costs in its annual section 22 report into the Scottish Government’s accounts on Thursday (16 November), with £51.7million being paid out in compensation and legal costs and a further £8.8million being set aside for cases that are yet to be finalised.
Speaking to insider.co.uk on Friday (17 November), Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay said the reputation cost to the country’s prosecution service following the scandal is “incalculable”, adding that it’s “sickening” that the money is being diverted away from frontline services and the justice system.
“While the financial cost of this scandal looks set to smash through the £60million barrier, the reputational cost to Scotland’s prosecution service is incalculable,” said Findlay. “It’s sickening that every penny of this vast sum is being diverted from frontline services including our justice system.
“A fearless and efficient inquiry, chaired by someone from outwith Scotland, must robustly get to the bottom of this malice and incompetence – and hold those responsible to account.”
This is an extremely complex matter that has been going on for a number of years after several people involved in the administration and acquisition of Rangers were adjudged to have been wrongly prosecuted
After administrators David Whitehouse and Paul Clark were arrested in 2014, the Crown Office later dropped the charges and admitted their prosecutions were “malicious”.
Former Gers chief executive Charles Green received more than £6million in compensation, while ex-director Imran Ahmad was also told he shouldn’t have been prosecuted.
It is pretty shocking that so much money has been spent on the scandal and that the issues surrounding it have rumbled on for the best part of the past 10 years.
While those involved will probably want to put the matter behind them, it seems unlikely just yet after the Scottish Government and the Lord Advocate have said an inquiry can take place once the civil cases come to a close.
