Police investigation into Lockerbie bombing prosecution finds no evidence of police criminality

Iain Livingstone

Nine allegations were examined by detectives over the course of four years in an investigation called Operation Sandwood.

The claims by the Justice for Megrahi campaign group, made against the police, Crown Office and forensic officials, included perjury and perverting the course of justice.

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was the only person convicted of blowing up Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988, an act that killed 270 people. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 and died in 2012 of cancer.

Iain Livingstone, chief constable of Police Scotland, said: “The findings and conclusions have been validated by a senior Queen’s counsel, entirely unconnected with and acting independently from the Crown Office.

“I have written to the Lord Advocate to inform him Operation Sandwood is now complete and that there is no evidence of criminality and therefore no basis to submit a standard prosecution report.

“The material collated during the inquiry and the findings and conclusions reached have relevance to the ongoing live investigation and the potential appeal against conviction lodged on behalf of the late Mr Megrahi. The materials have therefore been handed to Crown Office officials.”

A Crown Office spokesman said: “The findings contain material relevant to the live investigation into the Lockerbie bombing and to the SCCRC consideration of the case.

“On that basis, the documents have been passed to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service team dealing with the live investigation so that they can be given appropriate consideration.”