Complaints over police handling of probe into death of charity cyclist Tony Parsons will be examined by watchdog
- Tony Parsons, 63, was killed near Bridge of Orchy in Argyll and Bute in 2017
A watchdog has launched an investigation into Police Scotland’s handling of the death of charity cyclist Tony Parsons, after the force received complaints over its probe.
Former Navy petty officer, Mr Parsons, 63, was knocked down and killed by driver Alexander ‘Sandy’ McKellar near Bridge of Orchy in Argyll and Bute in 2017.
McKellar, 31, together with his twin brother Robert McKellar then buried the cyclists body.
McKellar admitted killing Mr Parsons and pleaded guilty to culpable homicide when the case called at the High Court in Glasgow last month. The twin brothers also admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice following their arrest in 2020.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) has today announced it will look at complaints of alleged criminality made by the force following the death of Mr Parson.
Tony Parsons, 63, was killed near Bridge of Orchy in Argyll and Bute in 2017
Alexander McKellar, 31, together with his twin brother Robert McKellar then buried the cyclists body
Police handout footage of cyclist Tony Parsons cycling in Fort William before he was killed
It is understood the allegations were made by McKellar’s former girlfriend, Caroline Muirhead, 32, who he confessed the crimes to in 2020, leading her to report him to the police.
Pirc confirmed the Crown Office had instructed them to look at the case.
Ms Muirhead had gone undercover to help police convict McKellar for Mr Parson’s death.
She had met the deerstalker through Tinder and just five weeks later he confessed to killing the cyclist.
Mr Parsons had planned to ride through the night, completing a 100-mile journey from Fort William back to his home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire.
The father-of-two, who had recently won a battle with prostate cancer, travelled north by train on the morning of September 29, 2017.
But after 11pm, he was seen having a drink in the Bridge of Orchy hotel, where he was struck by a pick-up truck being driven by McKellar with his twin brother in the passenger seat.
The brothers had been drinking in the same bar as Mr Parsons before they crashed into him on the A82 on their way back home to the 9,000-acre Auch Estate in Argyll.
They buried his body in peat and bog, before keeping the death a secret for just over three years.
Mr Parson’s son Mike (right) and his wife arrive at the High Court, Glasgow, for the sentencing of drunk-driver Alexander McKellar who killed his father with his car on September 29, 2017
The widow of charity cyclist Tony Parsons, Margaret Parsons (left) and their daughter Victoria (right), arrive at the High Court for drunk driver McKellar’s sentencing with her son and his wife
Caroline Muirhead, 32, gathered evidence that helped to convict McKellar after he knocked down and killed Mr Parsons
McKellar admitted his crimes to Ms Muirhead in November 2020 as they discussed getting married.
She told the Sunday Mail: ‘I was in shock, frozen almost. I didn’t know what to believe. This man I thought I could be with for the rest of my life had just told me he was a killer. I didn’t know what to do.’
After his confession, Ms Muirhead spent a month gathering information before dropping a can of Red Bull at Mr Parson’s shallow grave so it could be found by police, as the Mail reported last month.
Ms Muirhead, a forensic pathologist from Glasgow, told how McKellar first appeared gentle and kind towards her, but his personality could change when he drank heavily.
She recalled asking him in late November 2020 if he was OK after he visibly tensed when a police car drove past them one evening.
She said: ‘I asked him, “What is it? What is going on? What is it you’re not telling me?”. I said if we were going to be together and be a team, he needed to tell me what was wrong and I’d support him.
‘He started having a panic attack. He was gasping and started wailing. Then he told me what he’d done… something that he’d got away with for years.’
The father-of-two, who had recently won a battle with prostate cancer, had planned to complete a 100-mile cycle trip
Police search a Highland farm at Auch Estate in connection with the disappearance of Tony Parsons on January 8, 2021 in Bridge of Orchy, Scotland
He then took her to the site of the grave on the estate where he lived. Ms Muirhead said: ‘He pointed out where the body was and told me what had happened and how they (the brothers) had hit him, that it was an accident.
‘He said they hadn’t trusted the police, they’d had issues with them before and thought they were out to get them, so that’s why they didn’t go to the police.’
Both McKellars had been due to stand trial for murder, but appeared in court last month to plead guilty to lesser charges.
READ MORE: ‘How I helped police catch my killer fiancé’: Woman went undercover to collect evidence and lead cops to the hidden grave of charity cyclist run down by her lover
Alexander admitted culpable homicide, while Robert pleaded guilty to attempting to defeat the ends of justice. They are due to be sentenced on Friday.
Ms Muirhead is reported to be considering legal action against Police Scotland over claims she felt ‘coerced’ into spying on her ex after she alerted them to the grave.
She is also said to have lodged multiple complaints against the force, with the Crown Office referring eight complaints to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC).
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘It would not be appropriate to comment on these assertions as criminal proceedings have not concluded. There are a number of outstanding complaints which will be progressed at the conclusion of all criminal proceedings.’
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: ‘This case remains active until sentence. It would not be appropriate for COPFS to comment.’
A spokesperson said: ‘Pirc has been instructed to investigate allegations of criminality in relation to this matter by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
‘As this is a live investigation, we are unable to provide further comment.’
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: ‘It would not be appropriate to comment on these assertions as criminal proceedings have not concluded.
‘There are a number of outstanding complaints which will be progressed at the conclusion of all criminal proceedings.’
The two brothers will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow later this week.
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