Scotsman - Olivia hit-and-run police wait to interview man in hospital

It's not just Portugal where police are reluctant to release images of individuals wanted for questioning. Lothian and Borders police have refused to issue a picture of a man wanted in connection with a fatal hit and run incident despite his being held at the scene by passers-by before escaping. Even the man's family have begged him to 'give himself up' and the passenger has been interviewed by police.

Police say they cannot release the driver's photograph due to Crown Office instruction, despite witnesses taking pictures of the Jeep.

Gordon Reynolds, 56, from Redford Avenue, who saw both men in the immediate aftermath of the incident, criticised the Crown Office for its "illogical" stance. Mr Reynolds, a maths and chemistry teacher at the Rudolf Steiner School, said: "Obviously, you have to assess the legal situation, but I'm puzzled as to why, if the identity of this person is known, a photograph cannot be released. It would be a clear image, meaning someone could spot him."I fail to understand the logic of appealing to passengers on buses to come forward when police have an accurate picture."

Bill Aitken, MSP, the Conservatives' justice spokesman, said: "I can well understand the frustration of these well-intentioned people and why they feel the law is wrong. However, in such cases, identification of an accused in court may well be critical and the defence advocate would most seriously argue the fact that an accused person's photograph in the newspaper has interfered with witness identification."

Using that logic Trevor MacDonald could get away with daylight robbery. And it doesn't seem to stop Crimewatch broadcasting images on it's show.