Alistair Wilson: Appeal for witnesses at nearby hotel before murder
The father of two objected to a planning application submitted by the Havelock Hotel for a large decking area.
Those who were at a hotel in the lead-up to a Highland banker's murder are being urged to come forward.
Detectives investigating the 2004 murder of Alistair Wilson are appealing to anyone who was at the Havelock Hotel in Nairn two days before he was fatally shot on his doorstep.
The father of two, originally from Beith in North Ayrshire, objected to a planning application submitted by the hotel for a large decking area.
Investigators have said the father-of-two's objection was discussed in the hotel bar from Friday, November 26 2004, and over the weekend up until his murder on the 28th.
Police have also revealed how two new witnesses have come forward within the last two weeks with information about the planning application.
Information about decking "may be significant"
Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie, of Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team said: "This would have been the first time Alistair's objection to a retrospective planning application for the decking would have become public knowledge.
"We want to know what was being said about it and who else was there as this may be significant to our investigation.
"I would ask anyone with information, no matter how insignificant they think it might be, to please come forward."
The 30-year-old was shot dead on his doorstep in Crescent Road at about 7pm on Sunday, November 28, after a man knocked on Mr Wilson's door and spoke to his wife Veronica, asking for him by name.
He went downstairs to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with the word "Paul" on it.
He went inside briefly and then returned to the door when he was shot dead.
In the summer of 2004, Mr Wilson objected to the building of a large decking area within the car park of the hotel, which he said was responsible for increased noise and litter in the area.
He filed the objection to the local authority on November 25 that year, three days before he was killed and, last month, detectives made a fresh appeal for information to help with the hunt for his murderer.
Two new witnesses
Detectives have since interviewed a key witness in Canada regarding the planning application and said they believed the answer to who murdered him lies within his personal life and is not connected to his employment with the Bank of Scotland.
Det Supt Mackie added: "Within the last two weeks, two new witnesses have come forward with further information about the planning application and also the building of the decking.
"This new information is being examined as part of the investigation and I am greatly encouraged that even 17 years on we still have new witnesses coming forward to help catch Alistair's killer."
Following the recent police appeals, a witness reported seeing two men, one in their 20s and another between 40 and 60 years old, on East Beach, Nairn.
The witness has said the younger man was in possession of a handgun.
Detectives working on Operation Sorn believe the man who murdered Mr Wilson was aged between 20 and 40 years old at the time, and would now be in his mid-30s to almost 60 years old.
Anyone who believes they can assist police is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 515 of 4 March 2022 and Operation Sorn or you can e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk