Tragic Colin Marr’s mother has spoken of her relief after the solicitor general agreed to bring in Strathclyde Police to investigate his death.
The 23-year-old died from a single stab wound through his heart at a house in Lochgelly on July 10 2007.
Fife Constabulary decided the injury was self-inflicted and closed the case the day after Mr Marr’s grieving family cremated his body.
But his mother and step-father refused to accept that it was suicide and fought a five-year campaign for a fresh probe by another police force.
During a meeting with Margaret and Stuart Graham on Monday, Scotland’s solicitor general agreed to appoint Strathclyde Police to review the evidence.
”It’s such a relief to have another police force come in,” Colin’s mother Margaret Graham told The Courier. ”We’ve had no confidence in Fife Police for a number of years.
”It’s been a long haul for us a difficult five years. The fact that we’ll now get a complete reinvestigation is just amazing.”
A Crown Office-commissioned report by a former CID detective released last month laid bare a catalogue of ”basic” and ”serious” failings in Fife Constabulary’s investigation.
David Swindle concluded that Mr Marr’s death was ”suspicious” and recommended a full review of the evidence.
”I have found it frustrating to understand why such basic and serious failings took place,” the retired Detective Superintendent wrote. ”This was a suspicious death and should have been treated as such at the beginning.”
After Monday’s meeting at the Crown Office, Mr Marr’s stepfather Stuart Graham said: ”The solicitor general cut to the point very quickly and told us she believed that Strathclyde Police should investigate.
”I feel numb, to be honest. It’s all we were after but I don’t think it’s something we can celebrate. We just want to get to the end of it and get on with our lives.”
The family secured the talks with Scotland’s top law officers after Fife MSPs John Park and Willie Rennie jointly lobbied the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland on their behalf.
Both politicians joined the Grahams at the meeting with Solicitor General Lesley Thomson and Crown Agent Catherine Dyer.
Mr Park said: ”I’m pleased that the solicitor general has recognised the need for an independent investigation. It’s now time for Strathclyde Police to find out what happened that night.”
Mr Rennie added: ”It’s been a painful saga for Colin’s family but hopefully this new investigation will find the truth.”
A Crown Office spokesman said: ”The current assessment is that investigation applying investigative techniques now being employed by Strathclyde Police in other cold case reviews is appropriate.”
A Fife Constabulary spokesman said: ”Fife Constabulary will co-operate fully with this Strathclyde Police investigation.”
Photo David Wardle