‘My brother’s pleas were ignored – now family have been taken for fools by probe into death’

The family of a child sex abuse survivor who took his own life 18 months ago claim they’ve been “taken for fools” by experts investigating the death.

Kevin Sutherland died by suicide just before Christ­­mas 2024 after Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry chair Lady Smith refused to anonymise his evidence on the probe website.

But 16 months after Lady Smith announced an ‘‘independent inquiry” to review the SCAI’s interactions with Kevin, his family have not been interviewed by KC Jason Beer, the lawyer leading the probe, or his team.

Kevin’s sister, Melanie, said: “We were really shocked to get past the anniversary and hear nothing and now we’re looking at 18 months passing, still no appointment, no phone call, nothing.”

Kevin gave evidence to the inquiry in 2022 about gross sexual and physical abuse he had endured in care.

View 3 Images

He signed an anonymity waiver allowing the inquiry to use his real name but regretted it when he realised his statement was online and could be read by anyone who searched on his name. Despite repeated pleas for it to be removed, or for a pseudonym to be used as it had for others, Lady Smith refused, citing the waiver.

She was unmoved even by Kevin’s GP, Dr Ross Dinwoodie, who wrote: “Given his history of trauma and psychiatric issues I fully support Mr Sutherland’s request.”

Days before Christmas 2024 Kevin posted on social media in the early hours from the Forth Bridges area he was about to die. He tried to phone mum Mary and left a heart-breaking voice message when he failed to wake her, telling her he loved her but that he could not go on in the face of the “total f****** ­disregard” he’d been shown.

His body has never been found. In February last year, Lady Smith said she had asked Beer to conduct an “independent inquiry” into the SCAI’s contact with Kevin.

The terms included her right to see the report prior to publication, calling into question its independence. Kevin’s family expected to be contacted. Melanie added: “We’re starting to feel we’ve been taken for fools. Kevin was dismissed as unimportant while he was alive, and we’re certainly being made to feel that we don’t matter either.

View 3 Images

“There were calls for Lady Smith to resign after Kevin’s death made by prominent people experienced in dealing with child sex abuse and trauma. We can see now the announcement of an ind­­­­­e­­­p­­­endent inquiry was an attempt to shut everything down and hope the anger faded with time.

“That hasn’t happened and we are not going away. We will carry on talking about Kevin and we want an apology for what Lady Smith did to him.”

Her mum, Mary, added: “In my eyes, she killed him. She showed no regard for my son. I’ll never forgive her. The fact they took his statement down as soon as they learned he’d died actually makes me even angrier, given that when he was alive and it might have saved him, they said it would be impossible.”

Anne Macdonald, former adviser to the Scottish government’s Survivor Scotland Strategy, who works with adult survivors of child sexual abuse, was a signatory to a letter sent to John Swinney last year calling for Lady Smith to be replaced.

She said: “It’s actually repulsive and flies in the face of human decency to see a family that have suffered a tragic loss like Kevin’s death to be dis­mis­­­sed and tortured in this way by Lady Smith and the inquiry.”

The SCAI said the “review is ongoing”. Beer was asked for comment. The Scottish Government said “While public inquiries operate independently, ministers are supportive of the inquiry’s decision to initiate a review.”

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can reach the Samaritans 24/7 by calling 116 123 for free in the UK and Ireland.

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the world cup. Click HERE.

Article continues below

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.