A dropped human trafficking probe into Dame Ann Gloag, co-founder of transport company Stagecoach, has been labelled a “national disgrace” by leading businessman Sir Tom Hunter. Gloag and three others were charged in January last year with human trafficking and immigration offences, but last week the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service announced no further proceedings would be made against them. Sir Tom Hunter, who has worked with Gloag on charitable projects for young entrepreneurs, criticized the time taken to drop the charges and the use of taxpayers’ money and police resources on the probe.
In a conversation with Lord Willie Haughey on the Go Radio Business Show, Hunter expressed his frustration at the situation, stating, “Dame Ann Gloag has done more than anybody in Scotland in her charitable work and her business.” He questioned why a quick assessment of the evidence was not conducted earlier to avoid the prolonged stress on Gloag and her family. Hunter described the entire ordeal as a “national disgrace” due to the impact it had on Gloag and the resources wasted.
It is understood that the individuals who accused Gloag were associated with her charitable work through the Gloag Foundation, which supports projects aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting education, health, and religion in the UK and overseas. The dropped probe has sparked outrage and calls for a reevaluation of how such cases are handled to prevent similar instances in the future. This development has stirred up discussions about the need for a more efficient and thorough process when investigating serious allegations.