Lesley Thomson, Q.C. - My Life of Crime

President Katrina welcomed everyone to the meeting, including the speaker, Lesley Thomson Q.C. and visitors Bob Campbell (Larkhall Probus Club) and Michael Arthur (Rotary Club of Carluke).

President Katrina highlighted an item from the Rotary magazine in her interesting Rotary Information piece - Encouraging Terns to Return.

This activity is taking place in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands.  Apparently the Sutherland area is a rich nesting ground for birds and for the last three years the Rotary Club of East Sutherland has been working with other groups to encourage Terns to return to their traditional nesting sites along Kintradwell Bay on the east coast. The Rotary Club have been working in partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Brora Primary School, Rotakids, Golspie High School’s Interact Club and Brora Golf Club.

They are hoping that the quiet they have, from the halting of tourism by the Coronavirus, will help the breeding season. The Club raised £2,000 and have extended the protective fencing, prepared the area and put up extra signage. They are hoping the quiet and the work done will enable over 200 young terns to fledge and fly south in late August, to re-establish what was Scotland’s largest mainland nesting site 50 years ago.

President Katrina introduced Lesley Thomson Q.C. – a former Procurator Fiscal and Solicitor General for Scotland.  Her talk was on “My Life in Crime”.

During her career, Lesley had been a Prosecutor for over 26 years and Lord Advocate for Scotland for over 5 years, serving the Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond and then Nicola Sturgeon.  She explained that the Solicitor General is deputy to the Lord Advocate. The position of Solicitor General was created in the 16^th Century, and Lesley had been only the second women to hold the position.

She informed the meeting about the main areas of work undertaken by the Solicitor General, highlighting the heading up of the Criminal Prosecution Service.  Lesley’s earlier career had prepared her well for this aspect.  She began her career as a lawyer with SSEB before moving on to be a Procurator Fiscal in 1985, prosecuting criminals involved in serious crimes in various parts of Scotland.  A lot of her career had been spent on fraud cases - prosecuting those involved, recovering the proceeds of crime and seizing the assets of criminals and drug traffickers.  During her career she had been Area Procurator Fiscal for Edinburgh and then Glasgow.  She gave various accounts, some humorous, of her experiences.

Lesley said that what had kept her “hooked” on the job was that it was interesting and purposeful. She was dealing with people and what they had done to each other and she had the chance to influence society for the good. 

After a series of questions, John McGeary, on behalf of the Rotarians present, thanked Lesley for a very informative insight into her extensive career and for what she had done for Scotland through her work. 

Tribute:

President Katrina paid tribute to Hughes Lumsden:

“Hughes joined the club on 14^th August 1969 which means he was a member for 51 years. To put that is perspective - in 1969 The Boeing 747 jumbo jet did its debut flight and the Beatles pop band did their last public performance.

As I said Hughes was a dedicated member of the club for 51 years, he was President of the club in 1981/82 and he was also presented with his Paul Harris Fellowship in Nov. 2009.

In my time as a member he was also notorious for winning the Bonus Ball!  He was also a perfect gentleman and an honoured Rotarian.

We will now have one minute’s silence”.

President Katrina announced:

“Dress for Success” had been in touch to thank the club for the donation of £250.  It was very much appreciated and would be put to good use.  An update would be sent to the club later in the year,

As agreed, the next Council meeting will be held after the District meeting on re-districting. This will be on 4^th or 11^th February and Council members should make their preference known to Secretary Ian.

Foundation Convenor, Willie Talbot, reported that the Bonus Ball had been a roll-over.