A public inquiry has been launched to investigate the handling of the murder case of Emma Caldwell, who was killed in 2005. Emma, 27 at the time of her death, was murdered by Iain Packer, a man who remained free for nearly two decades despite strong evidence linking him to the crime. Packer was ultimately convicted in 2024 and sentenced to 36 years in prison for Emma’s murder, as well as 32 other charges, including 11 rapes involving 22 additional victims.
Concerns have been raised by family members, legal representatives, and campaigners that the inquiry’s scope may be too limited, potentially overlooking systemic failures that allowed Packer to evade justice for so long. Emma’s mother, Margaret Caldwell, who has been advocating for truth and accountability for more than 20 years, warned that if the inquiry only examines the initial investigation by Strathclyde Police in 2005-2008, it risks ignoring years of alleged police inaction and mishandling after the formation of Police Scotland in 2013.
Critics say the early investigation was marred by chasing incorrect suspects—four Turkish men who were surveilled and charged before the case collapsed in 2008—despite evidence pointing to Packer. Notably, Packer gave multiple statements to police, including leading officers to the location where Emma’s body was found. Following media reports in 2015 identifying Packer as the “Forgotten Suspect,” police reportedly focused on tracking down journalists’ sources rather than pursuing the killer. The murder inquiry was reopened after intervention from the Lord Advocate, but progress was described as slow and ineffective, taking years before finally reaching a conviction.
A joint letter to the inquiry chair, Lord Scott, signed by Emma’s mother alongside former Sunday Mail editor Jim Wilson, lawyer Aamer Anwar, and MSP Pauline McNeill, calls for the investigation to address broader issues, including alleged deliberate concealment of evidence, inter-agency failures, and potential corruption. They argue that senior police officers and prosecutors, including former Police Scotland chief constable Stephen House and former CID head Ruaraidh Nicolson, should be held accountable and required to give evidence.
Supporters of the inquiry emphasize the need to understand why critical evidence was ignored or suppressed and why Packer remained at large for so long, enabling him to harm additional women. Margaret Caldwell has repeatedly stressed that her fight is not only for her daughter but also for the many other victims affected during the years Packer was free.
The Scottish Government ordered the inquiry following widespread criticism over law enforcement’s handling of the case. While the inquiry aims to bring clarity and ensure justice, stakeholders remain wary that without a comprehensive mandate, it could fall short of addressing the full extent of the failures involved in this prolonged miscarriage of justice.