Action call on migrant offenders

Harcar had 13 convictions abroad before he murdered Moira Jones

A strategy is needed to deal with the problem of violent offenders coming to Scotland from abroad, according to the Scottish Conservatives.

Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken raised the issue after Slovakian Marek Harcar was convicted of murdering businesswoman Moira Jones in Glasgow.

Harcar had 13 convictions committed abroad, four involving violence.

The UK Border Agency said it continued to work with foreign governments to share more information.

Mr Aitken called for a "joined-up" approach to improve background checks.

He also cited the case of Lithuanian Vitas Plytnykas, one of two men who killed and dismembered Jolante Bledeite in Angus last year.

As an EU citizen, Plytnykas was free to travel to Scotland after serving a sentence for manslaughter in Germany.

The UK needs a joined-up strategy to deal with what is often a hidden problem, emerging after something terrible has happened Billl Aitken Conservative MSP

The organisation which carries out vetting checks for job applicants, Disclosure Scotland, works under UK legislation and has no jurisdiction to obtain criminal history information from other countries. Not all foreign countries have a system of recording information.

There is currently no European-wide system of automatic checks for convicted criminals moving between countries.

Mr Aitken said: "Two young women have tragically lost their lives, killed in Scotland by men who had convictions for violence before they arrived on these shores."

The Conservative MSP for Glasgow has written to shadow Tory home secretary Chris Grayling urging action.

"It is clear that the UK needs a joined-up strategy to deal with what is often a hidden problem, emerging after something terrible has happened," he wrote.

Criminal checks

Mr Aitken said, at the very least, there should be improvements to the system of background checks for people working with vulnerable groups.

"There is no robust or comprehensive system for bodies in Scotland to run criminal checks with other countries," he said.

"Disclosure Scotland currently has no jurisdiction to obtain criminal records from other countries and even within the European Union a possible solution is some way off."

He acknowledged that EU treaty agreements on the free movement of citizens might limit what could be done.

We continue to work with the UK Government and EU to strengthen these processes Scottish Government spokesman

"There are restrictions on what we can and can't do," he said.

"But we must be prepared to question the limits of our response because when lives are potentially at stake, there should be no barrier to protecting the public."

A Scottish Government spokesman said entry to the country was controlled by the UK Border Agency.

He added: "In the criminal courts, information about foreign convictions can be taken into account at the point of sentencing in the same way as convictions in the UK can.

"EU member states can currently exchange information, including criminal records and forensic data, for the investigation and prosecution of alleged offences and we continue to work with the UK Government and EU to strengthen these processes."

A spokesperson for the UK Border Agency said: "The UK Border Agency uses international watch-lists and the latest technology to refuse entry to foreign nationals known to present a threat to the UK.

"We are removing more European criminals." The agency said it was continuing to expand its watch-lists, and was working more closely with foreign governments to share information.

Labour's justice spokesman Richard Baker said: "This is an issue of serious concern and highlighted by recent dreadful crimes.

"But the Tories need to make their mind up if they do indeed want to see action which could make a real difference in tackling these problems.

"Every time Labour has brought forward tough measures like identity cards to support the police they have rejected the proposals."

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said it was hard to take the Tories seriously because they voted against the European arrest warrant.