BBC journalists who helped convict killer win Bafta award

The journalists who helped convict killer Iain Packer have said “new allegations were being investigated” after winning a Bafta for their documentary on the murder of Emma Caldwell.

Packer, 51, believed to be Scotland’s worst sex offender, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 36 years in February after being found guilty of murdering Ms Caldwell, 27, in 2005 as well as 11 rapes and 21 other charges, including sexual assaults, against other women.

The rapist, who preyed on sex workers, was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow after BBC journalist Samantha Poling confronted him about the murder in a television documentary, which forced a reinvestigation.

Ms Poling and producer Eamonn O’Connor won a Bafta Scotland award for news and current affairs for Catching A Killer: The Murder Of Emma Caldwell (Disclosure) at a ceremony in Glasgow.

During an acceptance speech, Ms Poling dedicated the award to Ms Caldwell and other survivors of Packer.

She thanked the BBC lawyer who worked on the investigation, and said: “Accusing someone of murder is not easy.”

She praised the dedication of the producer, saying: “Eammon O’Connor has worked on this for 10 years and has never given up.”

Speaking after she received the award, Ms Poling said: “This is their award, not ours. If it hadn’t been for the bravery of those women, who had not been believed for years – without their testimony, there would have been no conviction.”

She said that other women had come forward to the BBC team regarding allegations of abuse by Packer, and from other men.

Ms Poling said: “It has given women confidence to come forward.

“I have been contacted by some women since the investigation, some of the women claim to be victims of Iain Packer, which is being investigated by police.

“Some of them were reported 30 years ago. They are coming to us, not the police.”

Mr O’Connor added: “Police chose to let this man go free to harm other women. No police officer has ever been disciplined or sanctioned in any way for all the things they got wrong.”