Strathclyde Police face defamation action for making gangland allegations
Its not only media owners who get sued for defamation. Strathclyde Police face an action for making allegations about a Glasgow garage owner
David Lyons denies any involvement in criminal activity, despite the fact the members of his close family have had convictions for serious crimes and his garage was the scene of a shooting which saw the murder of his 21 year old nephew.
In a bid to tackle organised crime Strathclyde Police have increasingly being using the tactic of passing on soft intelligence to tax and licensing authority when they otherwise would not have enough evidence to secure a conviction.
However, the legal challenge – the type media owners are normally on the receiving end of – will represent a significant test of the strategy.
If Strathclyde Police actions are deemed to be defamatory they could face a significant claim for loss of business which has resulted in the MOT license being revoked.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, he said: "All I do is fix cars. Why should I be held responsible for other people?" he asked.
His lawyer, Cameron Fyfe (pictured) told BBC Scotland that the reputation of his client's family was irrelevant and that it was the lack of evidence against him that mattered.
"He has never been charged with any serious crime, he has never been arrested for any crime," he said.
"In a sense you have to congratulate him that he does have this family who are heavily involved in crime and yet he has managed to remain immune from it."