A MAN convicted of killing his former lover despite no body being found has had a series of complaints raised against the police upheld by a watchdog as he continues to challenge the process leading to his conviction.
David Gilroy made 15 complaints to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) related to the way the then Lothian and Borders Police handled his case before his trial and conviction before a jury.
Five were upheld and in total Pirc made six recommendations to Police Scotland.
Pirc and Police Scotland said these recommendations, the details of which have not yet been made public, had been implemented in full.
It is understood the complaints related to the collection of evidence for the trial.
A fresh complaint from Gilroy about how Pirc followed up its recommendations has been lodged by Gilroy with Pirc in the first instance.
A spokesman for Pirc said the watchdog will respond to this in due course.
He said: “The Pirc can confirm that various issues have been raised by Mr Gilroy regarding a complaint handling review issued to him more than two years ago.
“The commissioner stands firmly by the findings made in the review, with five of Mr Gilroy’s 15 complaints assessed as not being dealt with properly by the then Lothian and Borders Police.
“Of the six recommendations made, they have all been implemented by Police Scotland.
“A response will be issued to Mr Gilroy directly in relation to the most recent issues he has raised with the Pirc.
“It would not be appropriate at this time to comment further on these issues.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Following the Case Handling Review recommendations we received from the Pirc, we have complied in full and responded directly to Mr Gilroy. “
The Gilroy family is pushing for the release of CCTV footage which they believe can prove his innocence but the Crown Office has said this was already available to the defence before the trial.
The move by the Gilroy family comes as a review into his conviction for killing colleague Suzanne Pilley - who was 38 when she disappeared in 2010 - continues.
The wife, parents and children of Gilroy, who is three years into a life sentence with a minimum of 18 years in prison for the murder of his bookkeeper colleague Ms Pilley in the basement of their office, are supporting his appeal.
They are questioning key aspects of the case including the critical CCTV recordings that placed Ms Pilley within minutes of her workplace on the day she disappeared and have claimed a small blue car seen near their Thistle Street office on the same morning has never been found.
The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates post-appeal cases to establish claims of potential miscarriages of justice, is probing the Gilroy claims.
The 52-year-old from Silverknowes, Edinburgh, has always maintained his innocence over the killing of the bookkeeper. He was convicted without witness or forensic evidence but he was convicted by a jury, whose verdict was later backed up by the appeal court.
Judge Lord Bracadale told Gilroy when he was convicted that he hoped he would one day say where he abandoned his victim's body.
Following Gilroy's conviction the Pilley family urged Gilroy to end the pain and tell them where he had buried her body.
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