Aamer Anwar

Iain Packer was ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years’ imprisonment following his conviction earlier this year on 33 charges against 22 women, including the 2005 murder of Ms Caldwell as well as 11 rapes.

Lawyers for Packer failed to convince the High Court of Justiciary that the minimum term was excessive.

A written judgment has not yet been published.

In a statement, Aamer Anwar, solicitor for Margaret Caldwell, Emma’s mother, said: “Mr Packer evaded justice for nearly 19 years but will die a convicted killer and serial rapist. Packer’s name will one day turn to dust, long after Emma’s name lives on.

“Had it not been for Margaret Caldwell’s tireless campaigning, then any hope of justice would have been buried forever.

He added: “For far too long those responsible for gifting a killer his freedom have remained in the shadows, but they must face the glare of public scrutiny, the only forum for that will be before a statutory judge-led public inquiry.

“The Scottish government appear desperate to appoint a Scottish judge, despite the demands of Emma’s mother and cross-parliamentary support for a judge out-with Scotland’s jurisdiction, for which of course there is precedent – justice must be seen to be done.

“The Police and Crown Office presided over years of the misery, that saw multiple women raped and a killer emboldened by a belief that he had lifelong immunity.

“Whatever the jobs, addictions or vulnerabilities of Emma Caldwell or the 22 women who gave evidence, it should never have been used as a justification for sexual violence or to treat them as a second-class citizen – they mattered.

“Packer is now irrelevant to the Caldwell family, and the focus should move to those police officers and Crown officials who betrayed the most fundamental duty of all to protect life.

“There should be no hiding place for those who perverted the course of justice, the victims of Packer deserve nothing less.”