‘I was Iain Packer’s first victim – I’m running out of time to get justice’

Nicole Wootton-CaneFri, May 1, 2026 at 10:45 AM UTC

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The first known victim of murderer and serial rapist Iain Packer has slammed delays in probing the potential criminality of police officers who investigated him, saying she is worried they will die before facing justice.

Magdalene Robertson was raped by Packer in 1990, when she was aged just 15. More than 15 years later, he murdered 27-year-old Emma Caldwell in 2005, but walked free for almost two decades.

He was jailed for life in February 2024 after being convicted of Ms Caldwell’s murder and a string of other sexual and violent attacks against women, including raping Ms Robertson.

Strathclyde Police interviewed Packer six times during their initial investigation into Ms Caldwell’s death, but he was never treated as a suspect. He was later brought to justice after cold case detectives re-examined the case in 2015.

In 2024, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) announced there should be an independent investigation into the potential criminality of Strathclyde Police officers during their probe.

But two years later, the inquiry has yet to get off the ground after what police called “pressures on UK-wide policing resources”.

Speaking to The Independent, Ms Robertson said failures to properly investigate Packer and the police officers involved in the initial investigation have put her “through more” than Packer’s abuse.

“The duration of the abuse from Packer was short compared to the years from the police and crown,” she said, adding she is determined that the officers at the centre of the probe be investigated thoroughly while they are still alive.

Emma Caldwell was murdered in 2005 (Family handout)

“I’m 50,” she continued. “This happened to me when I was 15 years old. This should have been ended. It should have been put to bed 20 years ago. They’ve given me 20 more years of this.”

Ms Robertson never reported Packer to the police during the abuse for fear she wouldn’t be believed, but was sought out by officers following Ms Caldwell’s murder as someone who was rumoured to have had bad experiences with him.

She was questioned as part of the initial investigation into Ms Caldwell’s death in 2006, and revealed she had been raped by Packer as a child. But she said nobody from Strathclyde Police ever contacted her again, and Packer was not pursued as a suspect.

Instead, officers focused on four Turkish men, pursuing them doggedly until the case against them collapsed in 2008.

Strathclyde Police later merged with Scotland’s other forces to create Police Scotland in 2013, and two years later, Ms Caldwell’s murder was picked up again.

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But it still would be another nine years before Packer was jailed. In that time, he was free to carry out other sexual and violent assaults.

An independent inquiry into the police handling of Ms Caldwell’s death, which is running separately to any criminal investigation, was launched in December 2025 and is currently in the process of gathering evidence.

Ms Robertson said she hopes the inquiry will give her some answers about the botched investigation. But is concerned she is running out of time for any potential corruption to be exposed.

A public inquiry has been launched into the handling of Emma Caldwell’s murder investigation (Family handout)

“It’s really important that we have these police officers investigated before they die,” she said. “It’s not fair. This should have ended after it [her rape] was reported the first time.

“So many people have been hurt,” she continued. “The police and the Crown all allowed this man to attack people. I would like to know what happened.”

She added: “For me, there’s no trust within the police or the Crown. That’s how I feel about it. They don’t really care, they’re not interested.”

Her criticism comes amid the release of the Beware Book podcast, which shines a light on a series of brutal murders that shocked Glasgow between 1991 and 2005.

In the final episode, Ms Robertson reveals she was first told of an investigation into the potential criminality of officers in 2019, and calls on authorities to ensure those responsible for any wrongdoing are investigated before they die.

A COPFS spokesperson said:c“The Lord Advocate instructed that there should be an independent investigation into potential criminality by police officers in this case. This has not been possible at present due to pressures on UK-wide policing resources.

“Discussions are ongoing to explore options for this being taken forward.

“Our thoughts remain with Emma’s family and all those who suffered harm at the hands of Iain Packer. COPFS fully supports the independent Public Inquiry and will cooperate appropriately with the chair and inquiry team to help deliver answers.”

Police Scotland’s deputy chief constable Alan Speirs said Ms Caldwell's family have shown “incredible courage and determination” following her murder and added the force are “absolutely committed” to supporting the inquiry.

A spokeswoman for the inquiry said: “The Emma Caldwell inquiry was formally set up on 9 December 2025, giving it the legal authority to consider evidence. The inquiry is in the process of ingathering and analysing the evidence it has received. This is a considerable task and it will take time to conduct a thorough investigation.

“However, as the chair of the inquiry, Lord Scott, said in his video update, he is conscious of the time Emma’s family, witnesses and others have waited for answers. There is no delay to the inquiry hearings.”

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Source: “AOL Breaking”