Taxpayers in Scotland are facing a £53 million bill due to the failed prosecutions against seven individuals involved in the takeover or administration of Rangers Football Club in 2011/12. The total amount includes compensation paid to those who were wrongly arrested and covers their legal fees. The scandal of the botched prosecutions has been ongoing for over a decade, proving to be not only embarrassing for Scotland’s prosecution service but also financially burdensome at a time when public finances are already strained. The Crown Office has acknowledged the regrettable nature of the payouts but has asserted that lessons have been learned from this costly episode.
The investigations began in 2012 when the Crown Office requested Strathclyde Police to probe into the acquisition and financial management of Rangers under Craig Whyte in 2011. Subsequently, Police Scotland took over the case in 2013, investigating alleged fraudulent activities surrounding the football club. Arrests were made in 2014 and 2015, with individuals such as Craig Whyte, David Whitehouse, Paul Clark, David Grier, Gary Withey, Charles Green, and Imran Ahmad facing prosecution.
Former Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland sanctioned the prosecutions in 2015, a decision for which he faced criticism, leading to subsequent apologies and calls for a public inquiry. All charges against the individuals, except Craig Whyte, were dropped in 2016. Whyte was acquitted in 2017 after a trial. Subsequently, several of the accused initiated legal actions against the Crown Office and Police Scotland, resulting in multi-million pound compensations and settlements being awarded.
In total, the bill for the failed prosecutions has already reached £52.2 million and is expected to near £53 million with further payouts pending. The case highlights the significant financial and reputational costs incurred due to the mishandling of legal proceedings. The apologies issued and the compensation paid reflect a recognition of the serious failures in the justice system that led to this costly outcome.