Silent march for "miscarriages of justice"

In a silent walk for justice, around 70 people marched together down the Royal Mile last week as part of a bid to attract attention for what they believe to be miscarriages of justice involving family members and friends.

Present were individuals are involved in some of Scotland's highest profile cases, including the family of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, convicted for the Lockerbie bombing which killed 270 people, and Corinne Mitchell, the mother of Luke Mitchell who received a 20-year sentence 2005 for the murder of 14-year-old Dalkeith teenager Jodi Jones.

Ms Mitchell told the Edinburgh Evening News: "I don't think I would have been asked to take part in the event if the organisers felt my case would overshadow the point of the walk.

"I am there like everyone else to represent people who have suffered a miscarriage of justice."

The march was led and organised by Swede Guje Borgesson, mother of Annie Borgesson who was found dead on a Prestwick beach in 2005. Police deemed her death a suicide so no criminal investigation was launched. However, unexplained bruises and unidentified DNA found on the body led Mrs Borgesson to believe that her daughter was murdered. In 2007 she requested a fatal accident inquiry into the death of her daughter but action has yet to be taken.

Mrs. Borgesson told The Herald: "I feel great that there are all these people here who share the same goal to show our concern about the justice system."

Other protestors included Hugh Macleod, father of Kevin Macleod, whose body was found at Wick Harbour in 1997. Contrary to the police verdict of accidental death, Mr and Mrs Macleod maintain their son died due to foul play after having been beaten up on a night out. A fatal accident inquiry reached an open verdict and the family has challenged police conduct in the case ever since.

Mr McLeod said: "The justice system needs to be changed. We hope that a lot of people here will get some form of justice. For us, that would be convicting Kevin's perpetrators."

The family of champion cyclist Jason McIntyre, who died after being hit by a van while training near his home in Fort William in January, were also present at the protest. Jason’s mother voiced her views on the driver of the van, who was banned from driving for 6 months and fined £500.

She told the Evening News: "He should have been charged with death by dangerous driving and punished accordingly."

Upon reaching the Scottish Parliament, protestors had hoped Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill would meet the group to accept a book of letters outlining their stories, but their hopes were not realised.