Police officers at centre of spying row invited to Holyrood for fourth time

Police officers caught up in a spying row have been invited to a hearing by a Holyrood committee – for the fourth time.

The Justice Committee’s previous invitations were rebuffed on the basis of “critical legal issues” and “risks” to the officers called on.

Police forces across the UK must obtain judicial approval before using statutory powers to flush out journalistic sources. But a watchdog revealed last year that Police Scotland had breached the law five times.

The single force’s Counter Corruption Unit undertook the unlawful activity in connection with the Sunday Mail’s expose of the police investigation into the murder of prostitute Emma Caldwell.

However, MSPs on the Justice Committee have still not had the opportunity to hear from four officers: detective superintendent David Donaldson; detective inspector Joanne Grant; detective superintendent Brenda Smith; and chief superintendent Clark Cuzen.

Police Scotland failed to pass on an invitation to the officers in December. Three of them then declined the invitation. Yesterday, the committee agreed to write the four directly.

Deputy chief constable Neil Richardson previously wrote in a letter to the committee: “There clearly remain some critical legal issues, and particularly those touching on matters of competence, which are not yet fully resolved. There is also the issue of risk to the four named officers and that, too, remains outstanding.

“While such matters remain unresolved and outstanding I do not see that I am in a position, properly, to forward the invitation…”

The committee can compel witnesses to attend.