Campaigners join fight for justice

John was killed in Wishaw in 1996

Campaigners have accused the Scottish Legal Aid Board of being "oblivious" to the fact that a 12-year-old boy's killer has never been caught.

The claim is made in a letter to the board from Families of Murdered Children, which is demanding justice for murder victim John Rogers from Wishaw.

The campaign group is supporting John's mother Linda McConville in her attempt to take legal action against the man she believes killed her son.

Peter Quigley was acquitted of murdering John - who was battered to death Wishaw golf course in June 1996 and his body dumped in a stream - after a legal blunder.

John Rogers: Killed four years ago

Mr Quigley, 42, who has learning difficulties, was arrested after the boy's death and charged with murder.

But he was freed by a judge because police questioned him without the supervision of an adult.

Earlier this year Mrs McConville started a civil action against Mr Quigley in an attempt to have the evidence heard in court.

That action was halted when the legal aid board withdrew its support.

Linda McConville: "Denied justice"

It said the case could not be given funding after it was led to understand that Mr Quigley was in Carstairs state mental hospital and therefore not a danger to the public.

The board looked into the matter again when Mrs McConville pointed out that Mr Quigley was not being detained and was walking the streets of Wishaw.

But she learned last month that the board had rejected her application.

Campaigners are now seeking a judicial review of that decision and Families of Murdered Children has written to the board demanding that it reconsider.

Peter Quigley was acquitted of murder

Chairman Billy Thomson said the group had been told that evidence which would have been inadmissable at the original trial could be presented at a civil trial.

Mrs McConville said: "John has been denied justice.

"There has been a trial where it has not given a decision one way or another.

"The community has been behind us 100% and it is not fair on them for the simple fact that they have someone who is still walking about on the streets who has killed someone."

The Legal Aid Board and Mr Quigley's solicitor both declined to comment.