Stefan Sutherland: Police launch beach death review

Police Scotland have launched a review into the death of a man whose body was discovered on a beach six years ago.

Stefan Sutherland, 25, disappeared from his home in Caithness in September 2013 and was found 11 days later.

Last month his family called for his body to be exhumed and his to be death investigated as murder.

Det Supt Graeme Mackie confirmed "all aspects" of the investigation will be looked at and urged anyone with information to come forward.

He said: "We have updated the family of Stefan Sutherland that a review of the investigation into his death is being carried out by Police Scotland.

"This is being carried out by officers with no prior involvement in the case who have expertise in reviewing investigations.

"I would stress once more that we will act on any new information reported to us in connection with Stefan's death."

Mr Sutherland's sister Katrina welcomed the development.

She said: "We have waited so long and had so many disappointments in the past, that we are not getting too excited, but we are certainly a little bit more optimistic than we were yesterday.

"There is definitely a sense that some people's evidence was recorded in a different manner than what they would have liked and some of the information in their statements may differ slightly if they were interviewed by a different police force."

Mr Sutherland's family dispute that his death was accidental and say blood was found at a house he visited before he disappeared.

His disappearance was followed by searches of the local area by police, search dogs and a mountain rescue team.

Mr Sutherland's body was discovered by a member of the public on the shoreline near Occumster near Lybster.

The Sutherlands have drawn parallels between their case and that of Kevin Mcleod, a 24-year-old also from Caithness whose body was found in Wick harbour in 1997.

Former police force Northern Constabulary did not investigate his death as a murder at the time despite being instructed to do so by the then procurator fiscal.

Police Scotland has apologised for how the case was handled in the past.

The investigation into Mr Mcleod's death is currently being reviewed by Merseyside Police and, separately, by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.