By Steven Bell

A TAYSIDE Police detective who died in a motorbike crash on a country road near Livingston was yesterday described as a highly-respected officer who had twice been commended for his actions.

Detective Constable Malcolm Whigham (42) was on secondment with the elite Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) at the time of the crash.

Tayside’s Chief Constable John Vine said, “Yesterday we learned with great shock and deep sadness about the death of Detective Constable Malcolm Whigham.

“Malcolm was a highly- motivated, hard-working, and enthusiastic officer who could always be relied upon by his colleagues.

“During the course of his police career he was not only highly-respected amongst his colleagues, but he also received many letters of appreciation from members of the public who he had helped.

“This led to him receiving two official police commendations for his actions.”

Mr Vine added, “On behalf of everyone at Tayside Police, we send out heartfelt condolences to Malcolm’s wife Georgine, daughters Arlene and Maria, and his extended family at this very sad time.”

DC Whigham, who lived in Tayport, was riding his bike yesterday near Livingston in West Lothian when he collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction.

The crash happened at 1.40pm on Drumshoreland Road in Pumpherston.

DC Whigham was taken to St John’s Hospital in Livingston where he was pronounced dead.

His widow, a community midwife based in Broughty Ferry, did not want to talk about the tragic loss of an officer who had started his career as a special constable in Dundee.

Born in Livingston, DC Whigham studied at Telford College of Further Education in Edinburgh, where he gained an ONC in civil engineering.

He then attended Napier College where he completed an HNC in civil engineering, and in 1992 he became a student at Dundee College where he studied traffic engineering.

On completing his studies, Malcolm joined the council in Dundee as a technician in the roads and transport department.

He became a special constable with Tayside Police, working mainly in the Ardler and Kirkton areas, and his love of policing saw him join Tayside Police as a regular in March 1996.

Malcolm carried out beat duties in the city centre and Maryfield areas before joining Dundee CID, where he specialised in auto crime.

In January 2005, DC Whigham was selected to be seconded to the SCDEA, where he undertook a number of specialist duties in relation to serious crime operations.

SCDEA director general Graeme Pearson said that the agency’s staff had been “deeply saddened” by the untimely death of their colleague.

He continued, “Malcolm was a highly respected member of the SCDEA due to his dedication to duty, professionalism and warm personality.

“He will be greatly missed by us all.”

DC Whigham was on duty at the time of yesterday’s accident, riding an SCDEA bike—but its understood he was not involved in an active operation.

Investigations are continuing, and Lothian and Borders Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.