Bailey Gwynne death review head announced by Aberdeen City Council

Andrew Lowe will head up the multi-agency probe announced on Monday following the conviction of the 16-year-old's killer.

Published 11th Mar 2016

A man with a lengthy career in social work has been appointed to lead the independent review into the circumstances surrounding the death of school boy Bailey Gwynne.

Andrew Lowe will head up the multi-agency probe announced by Aberdeen City Council on Monday following the conviction of the 16-year-old's killer.

Bailey died after being stabbed through the heart at Cults Academy on October 28 last year.

The killer, who is also 16 and cannot be identified, was charged with murder but found guilty of the reduced charge of culpable homicide at the city's High Court.

Immediately after the verdict, the local authority launched the review to "identify any lessons that can be learnt to inform future practice''.

Police Scotland, the Children's Reporter and NHS Grampian will also be involved in the review, which is expected to report its findings in about six months' time.

The city council said: "Andrew Lowe has today been appointed as the independent reviewer to lead the independent multi-agency review into the circumstances surrounding the death of Bailey Gwynne.

"The outcomes of the review will be published in September 2016 and will also be shared with all appropriate agencies.''

Mr Lowe is the independent chair of child and adult protection for Renfrewshire and the chair of the Glasgow Public Social Partnership for Learning Disability.

Originally trained in law, he went to Scotland in 1974, where he began his social work career in Fife.

He moved to England in 1982, where he went on to become area director for Rushcliffe and was involved in managing the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Mr Lowe has also worked as the assistant director of adult services at Nottingham City Council and as the director of social work for Scottish Borders Council.

Council leader Jenny Laing said: "In selecting someone of the calibre of Andrew Lowe, the Aberdeen Chief Officers group have made a strong statement that they want a full and independent review into the tragic circumstances leading to Bailey's death.

"We all want to learn the lessons from this terrible event and the findings of the review will be published and widely shared.

"We owe it to Bailey and his family to fully review these events and I know all the city's agencies will take the findings very seriously indeed."