Police Launch ‘Most Wanted’ Website

Police Scotland have launched a dedicated website to trace the country's most wanted criminals.

Seven men feature on the site, who are wanted for murder, fraud and absconding from custody. Some of them have been on the run for nine years.

Among them is Derek Ferguson, wanted for the murder of Thomas Cameron in 2007, and Israr Ali, wanted for the murder of Waqar Shar in 2010.

Jonathan Kelly, who sparked a massive manhunt in Glasgow after failing to comply with imposed conditions following his release from Low Moss Prison last year is also on the list.

A Fugitive Unit was established when the single national force took responsibility for policing in Scotland two years ago and officers said 215 wanted individuals have been traced as a result.

The unit works with police forces around the world, with 32 people arrested overseas and brought back to Scotland to face trial, while 183 people have been arrested in Scotland at the request of other law enforcement agencies.

The other men on Police Scotland's list are Rezgar Zengana who was convicted of rape in 2006 but failed to appear for sentencing, Dariusz Kazmierczak, who is wanted in Poland for multiple frauds, Martin Banis who is wanted for fraud and has been sentenced to six years in jail in his absence, and Luis Miguel De Barros Silva, wanted over stalking offences.

The website describes the fugitives as "unfinished business for all police officers" and states that warrants will remain valid until arrests are made.

A statement reads: "Hard work and great efforts have been put into investigating these crimes, it is frustrating for the victims, their families and investigating officers when individuals evade capture and avoid facing justice. Police Scotland will continue to make every effort to ensure that they are caught and will face the charges against them in court."

Detective Inspector David Wilson from the Fugitive Unit said: "One of the main benefits of the most wanted section of the Police Scotland website is that you can log on across the world and look at the faces of those we need to trace.

"Criminals do not respect borders and we know that they need help from others in order to continue to evade justice. Like everyone else, they need somewhere to live and access to money.

"I would ask the public to look at the faces and the most wanted website and if they have any information about those whose faces appear to contact Police on 101. Or if they have any information they wish to pass anonymously they can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."