COPS probing banker Alistair Wilson’s murder will never catch his killer through public appeals, a crime expert warned.
Detectives have spent 20 years asking for help to catch the hitman who shot the father of two on his doorstep in November 2004.
But on the latest anniversary of the assassination in Nairn, Inverness-shire, Scots criminologist Professor David Wilson slammed officers over their handling of the cold case.
He is adamant the killing was carried out by a professional hired to gun down the HBOS bank manager — meaning repeated public appeals for information are pointless.
Alistair, 30, had been set to leave his job for a role with a research and consultancy business when he was murdered, which Professor Wilson believes is key to solving the mystery.
He said: “It’s not about an appeal. And it’s not about reinterviewing the usual suspects.
“It’s about thinking with a fresh pair of eyes.
“For me, that would look at the people and businesses and companies who benefited from Alistair Wilson lending them money in his role at HBOS.
It’s not about an appeal. And it’s not about reinterviewing the usual suspects. It’s about thinking with a fresh pair of eyes
Professor David Wilson
“Who’d be adversely affected as a consequence of him leaving and wanted him to be silenced?”
Alistair and wife Veronica were putting their boys, aged two and four, to bed when he was shot three times by a stranger at his front door on November 28, 2004.
Despite at least four probes, detectives have made no arrests.
Professor Wilson added: “The murder on the doorstep fits with a pattern of master contract killers — somebody who is not connected to the locality, but commissioned by someone within the locality to commit the hit.
“That master hitman comes into Nairn, carries out the murder, leaves the gun and exits.
“It is never going to connect to the crime and is useless in terms of harnessing forensic evidence.
“Therefore there is no local or regional intelligence that can be harnessed by the police.”
WITNESS' NEW CLAIM
A PENSIONER has recalled locking eyes with a “shifty” bus passenger he believes shot banker Alistair Wilson dead on his own doorstep — as cops continue to hope for a breakthrough on the murder riddle’s 20th anniversary.
Tommy Hogg, 75, said he quickly became suspicious of the oddball who had the air of a soldier and appeared to be pretending to sleep in a bid to hide his face from other travellers.
The former community councillor watched as the weirdo got off the coach and headed towards Bank of Scotland worker Alistair’s family home in Nairn, Inverness-shire.
Stunned Tommy went to police the next day after learning the dad had been shot three times at point-blank range when wife Veronica answered the door to a hitman.
Tommy was quizzed several times and helped produce an e-fit but it was never released as detectives — who have never made an arrest or unveiled a suspect or motive — appeared to rule out his theory.
Days from the 20th anniversary of the 2004 mystery in the quiet seaside town, he maintained: “I’m still certain it was the guy.
“I paid attention to him because of the way he was acting. He was just so shifty. It’s stayed with me all these years.
“I’ve never forgotten him or how he looked. He was just pristine, as if he had stepped out of the shower. And he was hiding his face.
“He made out he was sleeping to try to make sure no one got a look at him. It’s an absolute disgrace they’ve never caught him — I really feel for the family.”
The murder weapon was later found by chance during work to clear a drain half a mile away.
Police Scotland have now been ordered to begin the investigation all over again.
But Professor Wilson said: “It feels like PR rather than there being evidence that is going to take them in a new direction.”
The Birmingham City Uni lecturer added: “They’ve got to approach this with an open mind.”
An OAP yesterday told The Scottish Sun on Sunday he believes a “shifty” bus passenger he locked eyes with is the killer.
