Man is charged over the death of Emma Caldwell

A man will appear in court tomorrow charged in connection with the death of Emma Caldwell almost 17 years ago.

Police confirmed yesterday that Iain Packer, 49 – arrested in the Glasgow area on Thursday – is to be prosecuted.

He remains in custody and is due to appear at the city’s sheriff court on Monday.

Emma, from Erskine in Renfrewshire, was last seen in the east end of Glasgow early on April 5, 2005.

She was reported missing by her family five days later.

Her body was found a month later on forestry land at Roberton near Biggar, Lanarkshire.

The unsolved case was reopened in 2015 following consideration by senior lawyers in the Crown Office and years of campaigning by Ms Caldwell’s determined mother, Margaret.

Last year, Mrs Caldwell, 72, met with the Scotland’s newly appointed Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain QC, to discuss the case.

Last week, Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie, the senior investigating officer, said: “This is a complex and challenging investigation.

“Emma’s family, in particular her mother Margaret, have shown incredible resilience and determination since her death in 2005 and I would like to pay tribute to that today.

“The investigation into Emma’s death continues and I would urge anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant they might think it is, to please come forward and speak to us. As legal proceedings are now live we are unable to comment further.”

Caldwell family solicitor Aamer Anwar said the family were grateful to the teams behind the reinvestigation.

He added: “I also wish to pay tribute to Margaret Caldwell, a mother who, through the love of a child, has never given up in her struggle for justice.”