Shirley McKie plans to press on with a civil action

David Asbury was jailed for life for killing a woman in Kilmarnock, but he has since been released, pending an appeal.

He was released after serious doubts were cast on the fingerprint evidence which was crucial to his conviction.

During the same case, a former Strathclyde detective, Shirley McKie, was charged with perjury after claims that her thumb print had been found at the crime scene.

Cannot say sorry

An investigation involving five leading fingerprint experts led to all charges against her being dropped.

No charges were ever brought against SCRO's experts, and on Wednesday they were cleared by an internal inquiry.

Ms McKie said she was disgusted, but would still settle for an apology.

"People had an opportunity to admit that mistake when I said I had never been in that house," she said.

SCRO fingerprint experts were cleared

"But for some reason - arrogance, complacency, I have no idea why - they have decided they cannot say sorry.

"Please, someone who has done this, who is responsible, not the justice minister as he does not identify fingerprints, people who identified this print - they know who they are. Come to me and say sorry because that is all I have ever wanted."

Human rights groups and MSPs have declared the inquiry a whitewash, an accusation denied by the Chief Constable of Grampian Police Andrew Brown, who also chairs the SCRO Executive Committee.

The McKie family have said they will take their case through the civil courts to ensure that staff at the SCRO are forced to accept responsibility for their mistakes.