Cruise death may change Scots law

	Colin Love, from Maryhill, was a keen traveller and was on a cruise when he tragically drowned

The tragic death of a Glasgow student who drowned while on a holiday cruise could bring

about a change in the law of Scotland.

Colin Love, 23, from Maryhill, drowned in treacherous seas off Margarita Island in the Caribbean.

It would appear to have been a tragic accident, but eight months on from his death a loop-hole in Scots law has left his loved-ones without any final answers as to how it happened.

As it stands, the Crown Office, which is in charge of investigating deaths in Scotland, has no authority to look into the deaths of Scots abroad, unlike in England where a coroner can investigate deaths overseas.

Colin's friend Dr Kenneth Faulds is leading a campaign to change the law. He is taking his fight to Holyrood and is preparing a petition to go before an influential committee of MSPs.

Colin's mum Julie, 41, said: "This isn't going to help me, but hopefully it will help others in this situation. I wouldn't want any other family to go through what we went through.

"A German tourist who saw what happened told me he went back to the beach where Colin was pulled ashore, hours after it happened, to lay some flowers. When he got there, Colin's body was still lying there on a sun lounger. It's really distressing.

"We need to have a way that the Scottish authorities can check that all the proper procedures were gone through."

Dr Faulds, 23, said: "It's absolutely amazing that this is the state of the law in Scotland.

"Colin's mum has still not heard anything official from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about how her son died.

"It was left to the friend who Colin was on holiday with to tell her.

"The Foreign Office didn't help repatriate his body, Colin's mum had to pay to have it brought home to Scotland.

"We want answers to why the cruise line allowed people to swim in those waters but the Crown Office cannot investigate."

Dr Faulds' petition will be formally lodged with the Scottish Parliament on September 1.

This article was taken from the Glasgow Evening Times, with thanks