Police release pictures of car used in Waterloo Place assault

Seven days on, police appeal for Waterloo Place information

Police have stepped up investigations a week to the day after a serious knife attack took place in a a busy city centre street in broad daylight. A team of officers were out speaking to members of the public in Waterloo Place yesterday and pictures of a car similar to one used by men who carried out the serious assault have also been released.

Two men attacked a 32-year-old Sean McGovern on Waterloo Place at about 12:40 on Wednesday 27 July. McGovern was on leave from Castle Huntly open prison, where he is serving a sentence for heroin dealing and for firing a shotgun outside a Broomhouse pub in 2008.

McGovern was later treated in the Royal Infirmary for serious stab wounds.

The attackers arrived in a white Skoda Rapid (above) bearing the false plates DX65 ZWL. The car was known to have been in Lutton Place in Newington on the morning of the assault and was later seen in Duddingston Row shortly before the attack.

Following the attack, the car sped off in the direction of Regent Road and was later abandoned and set on fire in Bingham Drive, near Niddrie burn. Three men were seen running from the vehicle.

Waterloo Place was busy with visitors and workers on lunch breaks at the time of the attack and police are hopeful that their presence in the area, along with the release of pictures of the getaway car, will jog memories and generate more information.

The first attacker is described as about 6ft tall, wearing a yellow cycling top, black cap and sunglasses.

The second attacker was about 5ft 6ins – 5ft 8ins, wearing a blue cycling top, black cap and sunglasses.

The only description for the third attacker – the driver – is that he had short dark hair and was wearing a yellow top.

Det Insp Grant Johnston, of Police Scotland, said: “We’re appealing for anyone who witnessed the event in Waterloo Place, or saw the vehicle before or after the event to get in touch.

“It is a distinctive vehicle and I’m hoping that the pictures may jog someone’s memory about seeing the vehicle, perhaps in unusual or suspicious circumstances, last Wednesday morning or around the time of the incident.”

Anyone with any information about the attack has been asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.