Regulator has received "concerns"

A charity set-up in memory of a murdered teenager is being probed by the charity regulator and the Scottish Government.

People Experiencing Trauma and Loss (Petal) was established by Amanda Duffy’s parents after she was killed in 1992.

Last year the charity received around £240,000 from the Scottish Government and also receives funding from North and South Lanarkshire councils.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) said it has received concerns about how Petal operates.

Joe Duffy and wife Kate wanted to help others facing loss following the murder of their 19-year-old daughter Amanda, killed on a Saturday night out in Hamilton.

In 2016 a tribunal ruled that Joe Duffy had been unfairly dismissed from the charity although him and his wife have had no involvement with the organisation since 2014.

We are aware of complaints that have been made relating to aspects of Petal's service provision

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We are aware of complaints that have been made relating to aspects of Petal's service provision.

"We are investigating those complaints and have made the charity regulator OSCR aware of the situation."

OSCR said it was looking into concerns relating to how the charity operates and provides its services.

A spokesperson said: "These concerns will be handled in line with our inquiry policy.

"OSCR cannot discuss ongoing inquiry work as this may prejudice the work of the charity or OSCR."

Petal said in a statement: "Petal can confirm that a complaint has been received from Scottish Government which is being taken extremely seriously and is being managed in accordance with our complaints policy, at board level.

"The complaint comprises a number of serious unsubstantiated allegations and factually incorrect statements directed at Petal from anonymous sources seeking to harm the charity.

"Our doors are always open to OSCR and Scottish Government for the inspection of our operations, procedures and reporting strategies.

"Whereas the charity does not welcome this unnecessary distraction from its important work, Petal is fully committed to a process of continual improvement and to focussing its efforts on those for whom its services are a vital part of recovering from traumatic events in their lives."

The crown failed in a bid to retry Francis Auld in 2016, who stood trial accused of Amanda's murder. The case was previously found not proven by a jury.

Auld died last year in a Torquay hospice from pancreatic cancer.