By Cara Dodson

THE FATHER of murdered teenager Karen Dewar has spoken out against the report by Fife Council social work department and Fife police.

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, Colyn Evans (18) was told he must spend a minimum of 17 years in detention for the brutal killing of 16-year-old student Karen.

Fife Council and Fife police released a report into their roles in the case yesterday after Evans was sentenced.

Speaking at his home in Tay Street, Tayport, last night Frank Dewar (42) hit out at the report’s conclusions.

In it Fife Council and Fife Constabulary admitted shortcomings in communication and sharing of information and the failure of a request to carry out an initial risk assessment on Evans.

But it was concluded even if measures had been in place it would still not have been possible to predict the pattern of events which led to the brutal murder of Karen Dewar.

Mr Dewar admitted feeling let down by the findings in the report and said he had lost faith in the social work service. But he was adamant he would not let the matter rest.

He told The Courier, “This outcome was all we expected from these people. Somebody’s at fault and somebody is going to have to take the blame. Mistakes have been made and I want to know who made them.

“How would they feel if they were in my position? I wonder if they would be saying the same things as they did.

“I don’t see how it is possible for them to admit mistakes were made but then go on to say they did nothing wrong.

“I also don’t know how it is possible to carry out an investigation on yourself. I want an independent inquiry into this not just for myself but for everybody.

“Who knows how many other Evans’ there are out there we don’t know about. All I’ve heard is stupid excuses—they knew he was a menace.”

Mr Dewar added, “To be honest it doesn’t make any difference if he was given 17 years or 70.”

At a press conference in Fife House, Glenrothes, Eric Byiers, strategic manager of Fife Council, reiterated the council was not “culpable.”

He said, “We respect Mr Dewar’s feelings at this time and understand his position but, through the work we have done, we do not accept social work is culpable in terms of the murder committed.”

Stephen Moore, head of social work, said, “This is a difficult time for the Dewar family but they can make contact at any time if they want to meet with us.”

The report revealed that Evans had been known to the authorities for several years and had been accusing of committing 14 offences between the ages of 10 and 16.

A total of six related to sexual offences, five of which related to shameless and indecent exposure.

The report conceded but that there had been failings in the way his case had been handled but insisted the mistakes had no bearing on Karen’s death.

Mr Dewar, speaking earlier at an Edinburgh Press conference after Evans had been sentenced, said the report would not change anything and that he would fight for an independent review of the case.

Mr Dewar, who attended court with his wife Allison, said of the review, “You can’t investigate yourself.

“If he wasn’t dumped in Tayport I would still be waiting for my daughter to come home from college.

“The social work department murdered my daughter just as much as he did.

“They have ruined my life so now I am going to ruin theirs.”

Mr Dewar said Evans could be “dumped on someone else’s street to do the same again and destroy another family” if he was ever released.

The joint review by Fife Constabulary and Fife Council found that Evans could not be monitored despite him being labelled a high-risk sex offender.

Assistant Chief Constable Allan Burnett admitted there was “no excuse” for the risk assessment on Evans not being carried out in August.

He said, “I have no excuse to offer. It should have been done and I have no explanation for the omission. It is one which has brought huge regret to the force.”

But the report concluded that even if such measures had been in place it would still not have been possible to predict the events which led to Karen’s murder.

Mr Burnett added, “It was an issue where we should have done something, we did not do it, but in the chain of events it was not significant in anything that led directly to the murder of Karen Dewar.”

The report revealed that Fife Police were not formally made aware that Evans had moved into temporary accommodation in Tay Street last August.

And it emerged that social workers had not been notified by police of Evans being linked with an alleged house break-in in December, nor had the force told them that Evans had attempted suicide in September last year.

The report said the council and Fife Police have now speeded up a review of their joint sex offender procedures.

As it stands the authorities had no right to enforce compulsory supervision because Evans was never a registered sex offender.

Mr Burnett said the reason Evans had not been on the sex offenders’ register was because he was still a child when he offended and it was deemed he should be dealt with via the Children’s Hearing system.

He called on the Scottish Executive for greater powers to help police and other authorities monitor non-registered sex offenders.

“The Scottish Executive have done a lot but I think they recognise there is more work to be done,” he said.

“There is a big difference between keeping someone in jail and keeping them in the community.

“It is very challenging and my appeal to the Scottish Executive is to take a close look at the powers we have got to manage sex offenders—at the moment all they have to tell us is their address and that is only the registered ones.

“We would like more powers to give us the ability to deal with sex offenders in a better way.”

Councillor for Tayport and Motray Maggie Taylor said, “I am horrified that this has happened and we can never bring Karen back.

“I will be making sure that the recommendations that have come out in the review will be carried out as soon as possible and I want to know when they are.

“This has affected so many people in Tayport as well as Karen’s family and friends and has absolutely shattered the idea of Tayport as a quiet little town.”