Jean Couper, CBE
Jean Couper was Chairman of the Scottish Legal Aid Board from 1998 to 2006 and from 2002 to 2008 was a Commissioner of the Accounts Commission.  Since 1990 Mrs Couper has held a number of other public appointments notably Member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board from 1994 to 1998, Member and Vice Chairman of the Health Education Board for Scotland from 1995 to 2002, and member of the Police Advisory Board for Scotland from 2002 to 2007.  She is currently Director of K3 Consultants Ltd providing HR strategic, policy and operational advice to local authorities.  She is Deputy Chairman of the Ombudsman Service Ltd, Chair of Aberlour Child Care Trust and a Director of the Merchants’ House of Glasgow.  She was awarded the CBE in 2006 for services to the administration of justice.

Mr Graham Bell Q.C.
Since he was called to the Bar, Graham Bell Q.C. has been instructed regularly in the Criminal Appeal Court. As both Junior and Senior Counsel he has conducted many important appeals. From 1998-2000 he was an Advocate Depute and represented the Crown in the Appeal Court. From 2000 onwards he has acted ad hoc for the Crown.

Professor Brian Caddy BSc, PhD, CChem MRSC
Professor Caddy took a degree in chemistry from Sheffield University in 1960 and a PhD in 1963 before taking up an MRC Fellowship at Strathclyde University. He was appointed lecturer in forensic science in 1966 and eventually became Professor of Forensic Science in 1993. He was a founder member of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes and the European Academy of Forensic Sciences, was President of the Forensic Science Society, editor of its journal “Science and Justice” a member of the executive committee and now external verifier for the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (A Lord Chancellors appointment). He has undertaken reports for the Home Secretary in relation to Laboratory contamination and also the Damilola Taylor case. Professor Caddy has lectured on various aspects of the forensic sciences in over 20 different countries including Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand USA, Argentina, Indonesia etc.
 
His research interests extend from toxicology and drugs of abuse to firearms discharge residues and trace explosives analysis. A main interest is in raising and maintaining standards in forensic science practice this arising from his investigations into the “Birmingham 6” and other high profile bombing cases.

Mr Stewart Campbell
Stewart Campbell was the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Director, Scotland, based in Edinburgh, until he retired on 8 April 2008.  He continues to work for HSE on two projects.  He was an HSE Inspector for almost 35 years and worked in Aberdeen, London, Bootle and Kent where he was HSE's Principal Inspector during the construction of the Channel Tunnel.  He has extensive investigation experience and has prosecuted both in Scotland and England; he has also led on the implementation of a major European Directive.  Mr Campbell was awarded a Nuffield and Leverhulme Travelling Fellowship in 1983 and has continued to have a strong interest and involvement in European approaches and comparisons.  He is a Trustee of the Psoriasis Association.

Mr Gerard McClay LLB Dip L.P.

Mr McClay has been a solicitor in private practice for over 20 years, working solely in criminal court work and having extensive experience of all types of criminal cases from District Court up to High Court. Mr McClay was an assistant with two firms until he was appointed as a partner in 1990. In 1995 he set up his own firm and has worked as a sole practitioner ever since.
 
Until 2007, Mr McClay was a member of the Glasgow Drug Court Management Team. Glasgow Drug Court deals with offenders who have drug problems and tries through treatment orders to assist the offender with their problems by using varied treatment orders and consequently to try to reduce their offending.
 
Mr McClay was a member of the Glasgow Bar Association (GBA) Executive Committee for 7 years, holding the post of President from 2005-2006 and had previously held the posts of Secretary and Vice President. Mr McClay is now an Honorary Member of the Association.

Professor George Irving
Professor George L Irving CBE D.Univ MSc CSW FRSA FRSM is a former Director of Social Work and President of the Association of Directors of Social Work(Scotland). He also served in Romania developing child care services and promoting social work education.  From 2001 to 2006 he was Chair of NHS Ayrshire and Arran.  He led the National Support Team, Management of Offenders 2005-2007.  He is the author of a national report “Registering the Risk” concerned with the registration and monitoring of sex offenders.  He currently serves on the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission and is a Visiting Professor to Glasgow Caledonian University.  Professor Irving was awarded a CBE in 2006 for services to the NHS and the people of Ayrshire and has an honorary doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University.

Gerry Bann
Gerry Bann is a solicitor and partner in Adams Whyte, one of Scotland’s leading criminal defence firms.  Since 1992, he has specialised in criminal court work and has considerable experience in the investigation of offences and the treatment of offenders in a wide variety of cases at District, Sheriff and High Court levels.  Between 1996 and 2002, Mr Bann served as Vice Dean and Dean of the Faculty of West Lothian Solicitors.  He has participated in meetings of Sheriff & District Court Standing Advisory Groups and in 2006, assisted a multi-agency Steering Group tasked with the introduction of a Summary Justice Pilot Court.  Mr Bann has been involved in key cases contributing to the field of Scottish Criminal Law and, in 2008, his legal practice was voted Scottish Criminal Law Firm of the Year.

Christopher Shead
Since being called to the Bar in 1996 Christopher Shead has specialised in criminal law with a particular emphasis on appellate work.  He is a member of the Faculty of Advocates' Law Reform Committee and contributes regularly to the journal Scottish Criminal Law.  Recently he participated in Lord Coulsfield's review on the law and practice of disclosure.  Since the introduction of the Scotland Act 1998 Mr Shead has been involved in a number of appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.  Between 1993 and 1995 he served as a Procurator Fiscal depute in Edinburgh.

Mr Gerard Sinclair LLB (Hons) Dip L.P. N.P.
Gerard Sinclair is the Chief Executive and Principal Solicitor of the SCCRC, and took up this appointment on 30 June 2003. He is responsible for advising the Commission on the discharge of its responsibilities under both the legislation and the Management Statement.

 

Prior to joining the Commission, Mr Sinclair was a solicitor in private practice for 18 years, and a senior partner with a law firm in Glasgow. He is qualified in both Scottish and English Law, and his legal career included a wide variety of criminal, civil and commercial litigation. He has previously served as a member of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland, and is presently Vice-Convener of the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee. He was appointed a part-time sheriff in June 2006.

Mr Sinclair is also the Accountable Officer for the Commission. He is responsible for the proper stewardship and expenditure of the public funds received by the Commission and for the day to day management of the Commission. He is responsible for ensuring the efficient and expeditious progressing of the Commission's cases.

Chris Reddick MIIA – Director of Corporate Services

After studying at the Civil Service College Sunningdale, Mr Reddick became a Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (MIIA) by examination in March 2002. He also achieved the Certificate & Diploma in Public Sector Audit & Accounting in 1998 after with CIPFA (NI).
 
Mr Reddick commenced a career in audit in 1995, working for the NI Court Service internal audit team, and was involved in the review of court systems and operations. He was subsequently employed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board, to look at compliance with the Code of Practice for the provision of Criminal Legal Assistance. In October 2001 he moved to a private sector audit and risk management firm as Business Assurance Manager (North).
 
Mr Reddick took up his position with the Commission in September 2005, where he is responsible for managing the Commission’s corporate systems such as finance, human resources, information technology, procurement and administration.

Michael Walker BSc (Hons) LLB LLM Dip L.P – Senior Legal Officer

After graduating with a degree in immunology, Mr Walker returned to the University of Glasgow to study law.  He worked for several years in private practice, in the areas of criminal law and civil litigation, before joining the Commission in 2001.
 
He was part of the team of legal officers which reviewed the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, whose case the Commission referred to the High Court in June 2007.   In 2008 Michael completed a Masters degree in human rights law from the University of Strathclyde.

Gordon Newall LLB (Hons) LLM Dip L.P – Senior Legal Officer

Mr Newall joined the Commission in 2002 after training as a solicitor in private practive.  He was a full time member of the team of legal officers which reviewed the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, whose case the Commission referred to the High Court in June 2007.   He completed a Masters degree in human rights law from the University of Strathclyde in 2008.