Iain Packer, a former sign fitter, has been found guilty of the murder of sex worker Emma Caldwell in 2005, marking the end of a long quest for justice despite significant police failings.

The jury heard chilling details of the “execution” of 27-year-old Emma, who tragically descended into heroin addiction following her sister’s sudden death. Packer, who had a history of engaging with sex workers in Glasgow during the 1990s, confessed to police during the initial investigation that he had previously paid Emma for sex and taken her to remote woods for sexual encounters.

However, Packer remained free for 17 years as authorities wrongly focused their attention on a group of Turkish men. He faced 36 charges related to offences against 25 women but denied all allegations against him during the trial.

Emma’s mother, Margaret, expressed relief at Packer’s conviction, stating, “I feel as if I can breathe again now that this man is gone. I hope he gets a long enough sentence that he cannot harm anyone else.”

Margaret recalled the devastating moment she learned of her daughter’s murder, describing it as an “absolutely devastating” experience. She emphasized her determination to seek justice for Emma, regardless of her occupation as a sex worker.

A fresh team of cold case detectives began to zero in on Packer in 2015, following years of silence. Shockingly, it has emerged that other sex workers had raised concerns about Packer’s violent tendencies years before Emma’s murder, but their reports were allegedly ignored by the police.

Margaret emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “If it’s true that they know about Iain Packer and didn’t arrest him and didn’t deal with him, then yes.

The family and their legal representatives are now pushing for a thorough investigation into the police’s mishandling of the case, seeking answers and justice for Emma Caldwell.

Police Scotland is expected to respond to these calls for accountability in due course.