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POLICE were given a tip-off about a sighting of a missing pensioner six days before her body was found - but failed to pass it on to the inquiry team.

The body of Janet McKay, 88, was discovered yesterday - eight days after she was reported missing from her home in Knightswood in Glasgow.

But it has now emerged that police received details of a sighting two days after she disappeared but the inquiry team were not informed.

A full five days later, police acted on a tip-off of another sighting which was received by a force call centre and discovered Mrs McKays the next day in Clydebank.

The disturbing case echoes the botched police investigation into the M9 crash that saw Lamara Bell and John Yuill left in a car wreck for three days after the crash was reported.

• Were you the person who contacted police a week ago today with a possible sighting of missing Janet? Email us on reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk or contact us on 0141 309 3251

John Yuill, 28, died on impact but Lamara, 25, survived the crash and lay critically injured next to her partner for before she was eventually found.

She later died in hospital.

Police have apologised to Mrs McKay’s family but the blunder will heap further pressure on the beleagured force following a series of controversies.

Aamer Anwar, the solicitor acting on behalf of Lamara Bell’s son Keiran Burt, dismissed the apology and said the system had failed yet another family.

He said:”I don’t think apologies are good enough anymore. The Scottish Government needs to get to grips with what is going on.

“How many more families have to suffer in this way?

(Image: © HEMEDIA / SWNS Group)

"What does it take for the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to realise this is not good enough.

"What we have seen in the last few months is that people have lost their lives. This is the tip of the iceberg.

"The system is fundamentally failing the people it is supposed to be helping. There is no point in talking about low crime figures if people are losing their lives because the system is not functioning the way it is supposed to.”

Mr Anwar is now calling for a full judicial review in to procedures at Police Scotland.

A probe into the mishandling of Mrs McKay’s disappearance has now been launched by the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner for investigation - the same body overseeing the M9 crash scandal.

The Scottish Government also ordered an urgent review of all police call handling in the country by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland.

It will focus broadly on all call handling procedures and will be in addition to the ongoing independent inquiry specifically into the M9 incident by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc).

Divisional Commander Ch Supt Andy Bates said: “Since she was reported missing last Wednesday, an extensive investigation and search has been conducted by my officers throughout the local area. On Friday evening as part of our inquiries, a member of the public provided us with information of a possible sighting of the missing person. This information was not passed to the call handling centres nor was it passed to the inquiry team.

“On Tuesday, further information about this potential sighting was received through the call handling centre who immediately passed it to the inquiry team. Following further extensive inquiry a body was discovered. We have kept Janet’s family fully informed.

“I would like to apologise to the family for any distress caused at this difficult time and take this opportunity to express my condolences to the family and friends and thank those members of the public who supported the search for Janet.

“This incident has now been referred by Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner for investigation.”

Police Scotland has been dogged by a string of controversies in recent years including concerns about routine arming of officers, complaints about the abuse of stop and search powers and the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody in Perth.

Last month, Chief Constable Sir Stephen House announced he will stand down from his post in two months time - accelerating his departure by nearly 12 months.

He had previously signalled his intention to leave when his four year contract expired next September.

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