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December 12, 2016

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HSE reviews Police Scotland information after couple lay in crashed car for three days

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has completed a review into Police Scotland after it took three days to investigate a crashed car that had a dead man and a critically injured woman inside.

Lamara Bell, 25, and her boyfriend John Yuill, 28, eventually both died after their Renault Clio crashed near Stirling in July 2015.

A 101 call was made to the police on Sunday morning, but the police failed to act until a second call was made on Wednesday.

Mr Yuill died at the scene, but Ms Bell was said to be conscious when found.

Her father told STV News that she was speaking to firefighters and she was under the impression she had been there for 30 minutes.

Ms Bell was put into a medically induced coma in hospital after suffering broken bones and kidney damage caused by dehydration.

She died in hospital four days after she was found.

Health and safety review

A legal source has said that the Crown Office is considering prosecuting Police Scotland under health and safety legislation, which covers the police’s “duty not to endanger others”.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was asked by the Crown Office to review information compiled by Scottish prosecutors.

The HSE has now completed the review and has said it “will assist further if required”.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry is also expected.

An investigation into the concerns about call centres and the handling of police calls is also being carried out by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “There remains a considerable amount of work to be done on this investigation and it must be conducted with the utmost thoroughness to order to get the families the answers they deserve.

“We will ensure that the relatives are kept fully informed of developments in the case during the ongoing investigation.”

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Snowba'
Snowba'
7 years ago

Traditionally the Force Control Room was a dumping ground for officers who had annoyed the senior management or were on restricted duties possibly as an alternative to misconduct suspension or returning from ill health. Little or no consideration given to aptitude or suitability and minimal training given. Huge workload, impatient management who needed updates before we’d even had chance to enter them on the system. Every word typed on the computer or uttered by operators was recorded and often used by management as a stick. Very poor morale. Given the huge budget reductions made by politicians it’s hard to imagine… Read more »