Russell Findlay - @RussellFindlay1

The former Police Scotland chief constable who quit amid bullying claims has landed a top job in England. Phil Gormley will oversee the performance of police forces across north England and Northern Ireland with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The appointment by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid comes six months after Gormley quit Police Scotland amid bullying allegations which he denied. Supporters say that landing such a prestigious and high profile post is a vote of confidence in Gormley who they believe was the victim of witch-hunt. It also revives concerns about how bullying allegations against him were handled and about alleged meddling by SNP former justice secretary Michael Matheson. Scottish Conservative shadow justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “ Mr Gormley is still clearly seen as a respected senior officer and has presumably been recruited through a robust process. “However, due to the way matters were handled at...

A SENIOR police union boss branded Brexit backers ‘ slightly thick and slightly racist muppets ’ in an astonishing social media attack. Scottish Police Federation vice chair David Hamilton wrote on Twitter: “ The Brexit Dream is Dying - Finally! “How about we wake up, forget the whole idea and just get on with being good Europeans rather than listening to the slightly thick and slightly racist muppets who took us here and who now cling on to some bizarre Victorian Imperialist fantasy. ” Hamilton is a serving officer and full-time federation official who represents around 18,000 members across Scotland — many of whom back Brexit. His comments prompted complaints to Police Scotland which were upheld in July 2018. Chief Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, head of the force professional standards department, said: ' We received a number of complaints in relation to a tweet posted by a serving police officer. These complaints have been upheld. ” Chief Inspector Jacq...

A YOUTH football coach who left Celtic after a police probe into teen sex abuse allegations has quit newly-promoted Falkirk. Jim McCafferty, 59, retired after secret police documents revealed that he was once a potential suspect in the 1996 murder of football starlet Lawrence Haggart. He was cleared and serial paedophile Brian Beattie later convicted. Kit man McCafferty left Celtic in 1996, weeks after the murder of 14-year-old Lawrence, whom he helped coach. At the time McCafferty was the subject of a probe into allegations of indecency  —  although he was not prosecuted or convicted. The police report, released last month, criticised murder inquiry head Detective Superintendent Jim Winning for not pursuing McCafferty as a possible suspect. The report told how McCafferty was a regular visitor to the Haggart home in Larbert, Stirlingshire, and had phoned the house on the day of the murder. McCafferty left Celtic because of the police investigation ...