Emma Caldwell, 27, was killed in 2005, and Iain Packer was convicted of her murder in 2024. Former detectives involved in the initial investigation stated their suspicions regarding Packer were ignored by superiors, according to multiple reports. This failure allowed Packer to remain free for nearly two decades, during which other people suffered and other girls were sexually assaulted, as described by former detective Davie Barr in The Independent - UK News.
In 2005, two detectives from Operation Grail and the vast majority of their colleagues were certain of Iain Packer's guilt, multiple reports indicate. According to The Independent - UK News, Davie Barr described that if every single officer who worked in Operation Grail were gathered, only one person didn't think Packer was responsible: the senior investigating officer, who was getting directions from elsewhere. Barr was convinced that Packer was the killer, according to multiple reports. The reasons why the senior investigating officer believed Packer was not responsible remain unclear, as do the specific 'directions from elsewhere' that officer was following.
He'll never be accused.
Detective Barr had specific encounters with Packer and his superiors that highlighted the investigation's flaws. Barr phoned his senior investigating officer at home to tell him he was convinced Packer was the killer, but according to The Independent - UK News, the senior investigating officer described that Packer would never be accused. Packer told Barr that he had brought Emma Caldwell to Limefield Woods, the site where her body was found, according to multiple reports. This admission did not lead to immediate action, raising questions about who specifically ignored the detectives' suspicions and why.
The investigation took a detour in 2007 when a group of Turkish men were arrested in connection with Caldwell's murder, multiple reports indicate. The case against these men subsequently collapsed, according to multiple reports. It is unknown why this pursuit was prioritized over focusing on Packer, diverting resources and delaying justice. This red herring further complicated the inquiry, leaving key evidence unexamined.
Everybody felt the same. Now I'm talking about people in the incident room, sergeants, inspectors, people who had been in the job a lot longer than me... I kid you not, every day in life in that incident room we would speak about it. How can it not be him?
The consequences of the investigation failure were severe. According to The Independent - UK News, Davie Barr described that other people suffered and other girls were sexually assaulted in the years Packer was free, which he called unacceptable. How many other sexual assaults Packer committed while free, and whether they were reported or investigated, remains unknown. The delayed conviction in 2024 underscores the systemic issues within the initial police response, with former detectives expressing frustration over missed opportunities to prevent further harm.
The really pathetic thing is that other people suffered, other girls were sexually assaulted, in the years that he's been free, which is unacceptable. Other people should be ashamed of their actions, for what they did.
I can't speak for everybody, but I'm pretty sure if you gathered every single officer who worked in Operation Grail, there was only one person that didn't think Iain Packer was responsible, and that was the SIO (senior investigating officer), who was getting directions from elsewhere. You know, we were told, it's not him, just got on with it. Later on in my service, I think I'd have questioned things a lot more. It wouldn't have made any difference.