Four men accused of killing Emma go free – but case not closed

FOUR Turkish men accused of murdering Glasgow prostitute Emma Caldwell had their passports returned yesterday after the case against them collapsed.

The Crown Office announced there would be "no further proceedings" at present over the death of the 27-year-old, whose strangled body was dumped in woods near Roberton in Lanarkshire and discovered by a dog walker in May 2005.

It is understood there was insufficient evidence against the men who, under the law, had to be given a trial date within 12 months of their arrests in August last year. However, prosecutors said they could still bring a case to court in the future.

Miss Caldwell's parents expressed their disappointment, but said they continued to support the police and procurator fiscal in their work.

Huseyin Cobanoglu, 55, from Irvine, Ayrshire; Halil Kandil, 34, from Cadder, Glasgow; Mustafa Soylemez, 36, from Glasgow, and Abubekir Oncu, 31, from Springboig, Glasgow, had been charged with strangling Miss Caldwell at the Turkish Community Café in Glasgow's Bridge Street in 2005.

They were also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by dumping her body in woods.

The men made no plea or declaration when they appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in September 2007. They were later released on bail, with one of the conditions being that they each hand over their passports.

A Crown Office spokeswoman said yesterday: "On the basis of the evidence as it currently stands, there will be no further proceedings in the meantime, but it is to be noted specifically that the Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future.

"Emma's family have been kept fully informed of developments in this case, and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is grateful for the dignity and understanding they have shown as they try to cope with their dreadful loss. Senior representatives of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service met the family on 3 July and explained the position to them.

"We will continue to liaise with the family throughout this investigation.

"The investigation remains live and any additional evidence will be assessed by the procurator fiscal, and by Crown Counsel."

Miss Caldwell's parents, William and Margaret, said: "We have supported Strathclyde Police and the Procurator Fiscal Service during the investigation into the death of our daughter for the past three years, and we know that they have done everything possible to get justice for Emma.

"We were recently informed by the Crown Office that a trial will not be proceeded with to court at this time and, despite our disappointment, while the possibility exists for a trial to take place at some point in the future, we will not comment further on the details of the case."

Mr and Mrs Caldwell, of Erskine, Renfrewshire, had made public pleas for help, including taking part in a BBC Crimewatch appeal. They had been unaware of their daughter's work as a prostitute – she turned to drugs following the death of her sister in 1999 and worked as a prostitute to feed her habit.

She was last seen on 4 April, 2005, near a women's hostel in the Govanhill area of Glasgow at about 11pm.

BACKGROUND

Nine prostitutes have been murdered in Glasgow since 1991 but only two men have been found guilty. The six other unsolved cases are:

• 1991: Diane McInally, 23, was found dead in Pollok Park.

• 1993: Karen McGregor, 26, was found in bushes in a car park near the SECC.

• 1995: Leona McGovern, 22, was stabbed 17 times.

• 1995: Marjorie Roberts, 34, was washed up on the banks of the Clyde.

• 1996: Jackie Gallagher, 26, was found dead in shrubbery by a roadside in Bowling.

• 1997: Tracey Wylde, 21, was found beaten to death.