Introduction to The Price of Innocence

When I gave evidence to the Justice 1 parliamentary inquiry in April 2006, I began by telling the committee that I would rather have been anywhere but there. Over the nine years it took to fully clear my name, I appeared in court many times, attended inquiry after inquiry and gave many media interviews. Each time I hoped that there might be someone listening who had the power to end my nightmare, but most importantly, by speaking out, I hoped to ensure that what had happened to me could never happen to another innocent person again. In that committee room, at our new parliament building, being yet again questioned and scrutinised, I was making a final attempt to convince our politicians to do the right thing.

Shirley McKie: The Price Of Innocence

My nightmare began in February 1997 when I was wrongly accused of leaving a fingerprint in the house of Marion Ross, who had been brutally murdered there. Nine years later, in February 2006, I received an out-of-court settlement from the Scottish Executive (the body responsible for the Scottish Criminal Record Office), although they still refused to admit liability. Choosing to accept this settlement was the most difficult decision I had to make throughout the whole affair: should I do the right thing for the science of fingerprinting and the people of Scotland, refuse the settlement and let it go to trial so that those responsible could be held accountable for their actions, or should I take the money and end the nightmare? I had fought for justice for nine long years. I had lost a lot, including my career and my health, and on occasions I had contemplated suicide. If I let the case go to trial I risked losing everything and I know this would have killed me.

I have had to give up the fight now and accept that I’ve done everything I could possibly do. It’s up to the politicians to make this right now. I now want to get on with my life, whatever that holds for me, and forget about the ‘Shirley McKie case’. I would prefer there to be no book, film or any other publicity, but people continue to support me and question what happened and why, and I would rather that my story was told by those I trust to tell the truth.

As you read this book I would ask you to bear one thing in mind. What happened to me could happen to you. The fact that I was a serving police officer meant nothing. If it is alleged that your fingerprint – or your DNA even – has been identified at a crime scene, you too could end up in a situation like mine. We therefore need to build a justice system and a political system that are open, honest and transparent. When mistakes are made, we must admit these mistakes and take responsibility for them. You will think it strange when I say that I still believe in using fingerprint evidence. It is one of the most powerful and reliable forms of evidence that we have. For it to be lost because of the controversy of this case would be a travesty. Throughout the last nine years I have had the privilege to meet many fingerprint experts from all over the world. They came to my rescue, many of them willing to put their own careers on the line by speaking out. The honesty and integrity of those few individuals have truly touched me. They have shown unbelievable commitment and belief in their science, which, in turn, has restored my belief.

There are many people to whom I owe so very much, but I owe my father Iain the most. Even as I write this, tears well up at the thought of where all this could have ended if it hadn’t been for his love, patience, and tenacity.

My mother, Nancy, deals with things so differently from my dad, but has been there constantly for me in so many ways. Mairi, my siblings and their families, sorry this has taken so long: thank you so much.

In times of adversity you find out who your true friends are. I thank those few individuals for their belief in me and their support. You know who you are. I have also made some great new friends over the duration of this case, and would include Mike Russell in that category. I owe him a special thank you. There are so many aspects of this tale which remain unanswered. I have had to accept that they may always remain so. But there are people out there who know the truth. For the sake of Marion Ross and for the future of fingerprint evidence worldwide, I would implore them to finally do the right thing.

Shirley McKie

Troon, December 2006

Extract from Shirley McKie: The Price of Innocence by kind permission of Birlinn Publishing, Edinburgh