A Dundee family are urging Police Scotland to reopen an investigation into the death of a seven-year-old boy more than three decades ago.
Danny Leech was knocked down crossing the road on September 8, 1989.
His family consider his death to be accidental but they claim there was little investigation in the hours after his passing.
They’ve compiled a document outlining their concerns – which they’re preparing to submit to Police Scotland in a bid for answers.
Mum Linda Leech told STV News: “He would just get on with life, everybody seemed to like him.
“He just loved life and any sort of devilment that boys do, he would do.”
Danny was on his way to a carnival with his older cousin in 1989.
When he went to cross Arbroath Road in the east of Dundee, he was struck by a lorry.
Linda added: “When I got to the hospital, Danny’s ambulance was just coming in.
“That’s when they said ‘come on’ and they put me in a room.
“I was kept there until they’d done what they had to do.
“Then the doctor came in and said there was no saving him.”
Danny’s family consider his death to be accidental.
No charges have ever been brought forward.
But for many years since his death, his loved ones have been on a mission to try to find out more about exactly what happened.
Danny’s brother John said: “We now know, with opening our own Facebook page and doing our semi-investigation, we’ve had original witnesses come forward who saw the incident, who saw the impact.
“The only way to try and appease the feelings of anger is to get some answers.
“I think it’s only natural.”
John has compiled a document, which includes newspaper reports of the collision, as well as analysis from a company which specialises in road traffic incidents.
The family claim the road was allowed to reopen without a thorough investigation of the scene.
Leech familyRoss Donnelly, a lawyer representing the Leech family, says there are unanswered questions about Danny’s death .
“It involves the death of a child in fairly tragic circumstances,” he said.
“It involves a family who, for the best part of 20-odd years have not had any real answers about what’s happened.
“I would hope Police Scotland would be sufficiently impressed with the work John’s done and give it another look.”
More than 2,000 people have joined an online group dedicated to finding out more information about Danny’s death.
His family have held demonstrations to raise awareness, joined by members of the community.
“I’ve never been able to enjoy myself, I’ve never been able to do things, because I felt guilty,” Linda said.
“I shouldn’t be doing that, my son’s not there. Everything was knocked out of me.
Two years ago, the Leech family made a series of complaints to Police Scotland regarding initial enquiries in 1989.
They were not upheld.
The family then appealed this with the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner.
It concluded the complaints were handled to a reasonable standard.
Later this week the Leech family to will hand over their document to Police Scotland.
They hope it’ll lead to the collision being reviewed.
John said: “I’m looking for my mother to get some answers for what happened to her son, my brother.
“We believe 34 years is quite a long time to wait.
“We’ve asked the question, it’s now up to the powers at be to come up with the answers.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said PIRC reviewed handling of the complaints relating to the Tayside Police investigation into Danny’s death.
They said: “Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Department (PSD) investigated complaints relating to the Tayside Police investigation into the death of Daniel Leech in 1989.
“In September 2022, the complainant was updated on the outcome of the investigation.
“In January 2023, we were notified the Police Investigation & Review Commissioner (PIRC) were conducting a complaint handling review.
“In March 2023, PIRC concluded that Police Scotland had handled the applicant’s complaints to a reasonable standard.”
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