Karen’s father Frank said of the report, which was issued after 18-year-old Evans was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh, “You can’t investigate yourself. The social work department murdered my daughter just as much as Evans did.

“They have ruined my life, so I am going to ruin theirs.”

In her letter to Cathy Jamieson MSP, the Minister for Justice, Ms Marwick drew attention to what she claimed were a “catalogue of failures” of Fife Council and Fife Constabulary.

She criticised the failure to include an AIM report (Assessment, Intervention and Moving On) in a report to the Children’s Hearing and the failure to carry out an initial risk assessment.

She also hit out at the fact Fife Constabulary were not made aware that Evans had been allocated a flat in Tay Street, Tayport.

In her letter, Ms Marwick said, “The report concludes that ‘the shortcomings were not of a fundamental nature and the events could not have been predicted’. While I welcome the review which has taken place it is not for an in-house review to reach such a conclusion.

“There were systematic failures in the management of Colyn Evans and a young woman was murdered.

“While I do not subscribe to the view that someone must be blamed I feel there are unanswered questions that can only be addressed by an independent inquiry and I am writing to you to ask whether it is your intention, having considered the report, to set up such an inquiry which will look not just at the Fife Council and Fife Constabulary but also his period of time in Geilsland School and the decision at the annual review in April 2004 to terminate his Supervision Requirement.”

Writing to Ms Jamieson and Education Minister Peter Peacock, North-East Fife MSP Iain Smith said, “I am sure you are aware the report highlights a number of shortcomings in the way Evans’s case was dealt with by both the Social Work Department and Fife Constabulary, particularly in the period following Mr Evans leaving Geilsland School in March 2004, his moving to Tayport in August and the tragic events on January 20.

“Some of these shortcomings appear to be internal to the procedures in operation in Fife Council and Fife Constabulary, such as the failure of the police to carry out initial risk assessments and advise social work of the attempted suicide, and lack of liaison between different agencies,” he said.

Mr Smith believes the case suggests fundamental weaknesses in how such cases can be dealt with, particularly the transition from a supervision requirement in a residential setting to living independently, and the protocols for dealing with a child exhibiting inappropriate sexual behaviour with a high likelihood of re-offending as he approached adulthood.

He added, “It seems to me an independent review of the handling of this case may be the best way to address these issues, and HM Social Work Inspectorate and HM Inspector of Constabulary would be best placed to carry out such a review. I urge you to request such a review be conducted.”

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Ted Brocklebank said, “There is evidence of a clear breakdown in communications between the agencies involved which appear to have resulted in failures of risk assessment supervision and support mechanisms. I am writing to Cathy Jamieson to demand an independent inquiry to establish whether it is true, as claimed in the police and council report, “that the tragic events of January 20 could not reasonably have been predicted nor avoided’.”

Following the publication of the report, Eric Byiers, strategic manager of Fife Council, said, “We respect Mr Dewar’s feelings and understand his position but, through the work we have done, we do not accept Social Work is culpable in terms of the murder committed.”