Landowner's family 'kidnap risk'

The Snowies' want to ban walkers from 40 acres of their estate

Millionaire landowner Euan Snowie, his wife or children could be kidnapped because of their wealth a court has been told.

Former head of operations at Central Scotland Police, Joe Holden, said the family could be held to ransom for several hundred thousand pounds.

He was giving evidence in a test case brought by Mr Snowie which challenges the "right to roam" legislation.

Mr Snowie wants to ban the public from his Boquhan Estate in Stirlingshire.

On Wednesday Mr Holden, an ex-chief superintendent who is now a security consultant, told Stirling Sheriff Court he had carried out a risk assessment on the £4m estate near Kippen.

Professional or hardened criminals whose job is dishonesty will no doubt talk about people like the Snowie family, they'll read the papers, they'll cotton on, and they could target them in a primitive, brutal way Security consultant Joe Holden

He said the Snowie family were at risk of kidnapping, abduction, tie-up robbery or extortion and that an exclusion zone would make the family safer.

"The Snowie family are a significant target for criminal activity," Mr Holden said.

"The publicity that's come from this case and speculation about the wealth that's come from the sale of the business in 2005, all say to me that Mr Snowie or one of the members of his family could be a victim of kidnapping or extortion.

"Professional or hardened criminals whose job is dishonesty will no doubt talk about people like the Snowie family, they'll read the papers, they'll cotton on, and they could target them in a primitive, brutal way."

Stirling Council and the Ramblers' Association are opposing the Snowie's bid to get the estate exempted, and to lock the entrances gates at the end of Boquhan House's driveways.

In answer to questioning by Andrew Smith QC, for Stirling Council, Mr Holden conceded that an exemption would keep out bone-fide walkers as well as criminals.

'Police performance'

Mr Holden, who retired from Central Scotland Police on 31 December, said an added risk was that the Dunblane police sub-area command, which included Boquhan House, had lower detection rates than the force average.

He said: "Dunblane sub-area command is under-performing.

"I'm convinced that criminals will look at police performance ratings, and look at areas where the police are less effective."

The court has heard that the Snowies began deterring public access in 2005.

Complaints from walkers and local residents prompted Stirling Council to issue the Snowie family with a notice under the Land Reform Act.

The notice required the landowners to unlock either one of two pedestrian gates adjoining the main carriage gates at Boquhan House, and to ensure that the gates remain open.

The Snowies are appealing against the notice, hoping to get their estate exempted from the 2003 Land Reform (Scotland) Act.