A Dundee family said they have been left with “more questions than answers” following the results of an investigation into the death of a seven-year-old boy more than three decades ago.
Danny Leech was seven years old when he was knocked down by a lorry on his way to a carnival while crossing Arbroath 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.
Danny’s family compiled a document outlining their concerns – including newspaper reports, as well as analysis from a road traffic incident company – which they submitted to Police Scotland in a hope for answers.
STV NewsLast year, police confirmed they were carrying out a comprehensive review of the information provided by the Leech family, and officers carried out a reconstruction at the scene of the collision.
During the reconstruction, the force used the same model of lorry that made a left-hand turn at the busy junction and hit Danny.
Police Scotland have now confirmed that the review has now been completed and presented to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal, and there will be no further action into the investigation into Danny’s death.
Danny’s brother John said that the family has “not been dealt a fair hand”, and there is “key information” missing from the police’s report.
STV News“The report in my opinion seems to be incomplete”, he said. “There is key information that seems to be lacking, that we believe should be in the report before it was handed to the procurator fiscal.
“Certainly a little bit of confusion as to what is going on. At one point, we are at a meeting with the police and they are telling us one thing, then we receive the report, and it’s telling us another thing.
“There’s no continuity. We did think, myself and my mum, that this was going to be taken seriously this time. But again, left with more questions than answers.”
Danny’s mum Linda added: “It’s just been unbelievable. There’s things that should have happened that never happened.”
Following years of campaigning, the Leech family made a series of complaints to Police Scotland regarding initial enquiries in 1989, which were not upheld.
More than 2,000 people subsequently joined an online group dedicated to finding out more information about Danny’s death.
No charges have ever been brought forward in relation to the incident.
The review from Police Scotland also found the driver’s vision from his windscreen would possibly have been reduced during the collision by the “presence of bunting, a pendant and glass mounted soft toy”.
It said this would breach Section 41D(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Regulation 104 of the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.
But the force ruled the driver’s view from his nearside window whilst turning was of “higher priority,” and deemed the restrictions from his windscreen was “likely not a factor.”
Superintendent Andy Barclay, Deputy Head of Road Policing said: “The independent review to assess new information received in June 2024 has been carried out.
“We presented the findings of the review to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and there will be no further action at this time.
“We have fully explored all available lines of enquiry and have presented this to the family by way of a written report which supports this conclusion.
“We fully appreciate the impact that Danny’s death has had on his family over the past 35 years and are facilitating a meeting between the family, Police and COPFS to further explain the outcome of our review.”
A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “COPFS supported the police in a renewed investigation into Danny’s death.
“Our thoughts remain with the family and following an update we have offered to meet with them to discuss the circumstances of his death.”
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