Buckie hate mail investigation hits brick wall
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Investigations have hit a brick wall regarding anonymous hate mail which was sent to a former Moray councillor when he was still in office.
Police Scotland admit they have no positive lines of inquiries about who sent abusive and threatening letters to Gordon Cowie.
Mr Cowie represented Buckie as an independent councillor until May this year.
He stated his main reason for not seeking re-election was the increasing anger to which he and his family had been exposed.
Mr Cowie described the news from the police as "very disappointing".
He said: "You walk up the street and folk speak to you, and you’re thinking ‘could it be them?’
"You’ve no idea – it’s terrible. I’ve just no time for this.
"I can take any abuse you can throw at me, but have the courage to write your name on a letter.
"Come out from behind the anonymity."
Mr Cowie was reported to the Standards Commission for Scotland for allegedly breaking the Councillors’ Code of Conduct during a planning decision which taken in March 2021.
However, the commission has now stated that no breach of the code has been found.
Mr Cowie said: "I’ve heard from the Standards Commission and there’s no case to answer there. At least that’s one release."
Four anonymous letters were sent to Mr Cowie, the first in November last year and the rest over the following few weeks.
He said: "They were abusive and threatening.
"It was notes, and the stamps weren’t right – they had been used before."
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said that officers in Buckie had made extensive inquiries.
They added: "There are no positive lines of inquiry and the complainer has been updated.
"Officers will investigate any further information they receive regarding the matter."
Mr Cowie represented Buckie after winning a by-election in January 2014.
At the time he stood down, he said: "I just can’t put my family through the hell they’ve had to deal with over the last few years any more."
