Justice Committee refuses to back down over police 'spying' rule breaches

Holyrood’s justice committee is refusing to back down in its bid to bring officers at the centre of a row over Police Scotland breaking rules on intercepting communications in an effort to identify journalists’ sources before parliament.

MSPs have decided to launch a fourth attempt to call three officers to give evidence at Holyrood - despite the single force refusing initial invitations and their staff association declining a third on their behalf.

The committee has made repeated efforts to call the chief superintendent who heads up Police Scotland’s counter corruption unit as well as two detective superintendents and a detective inspector at the centre of breaches identified by the Interception of Communications Commissioner’s Office (IOCCO).

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It came after IOCCO confirmed the single force breached the watchdog’s code of practice on five occasions while seeking communications data, labelling the breaches “reckless”.

MSPs sent invitations to the four officers via their staff associations last week after Police Scotland turned down the offer, sending assistant chief constable Ruaraidh Nicolson instead. Deputy chief constable Neil Richardson had already come before the committee on the matter last month.

The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, which represents three of the four officers, said their members “would prefer not to attend a committee session at this time”, adding that they did not feel they could add to evidence already given by two members of the force’s senior leadership team.

However, in a discussion at the end of this week's committee meeting, MSPs decided to write to the three officers directly to once again invite them to give evidence on "Police Scotland’s governance arrangements in relation to the interception of communications” next Tuesday.

The fourth officer, a detective inspector represented by the Scottish Police Federation, will not be asked to appear in person but instead provide information in writing, according to minutes of this week's committee meeting.

MSPs retain the power to compel witnesses to attend committee sessions.