Leith – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Extensive enquiries ongoing into series of wilful fire-raisings

Detectives investigating a series of wilful fire-raisings in Glasgow and the West have visited more than 100 properties as part of extensive door-to-door enquiries and seized almost 700 hours of CCTV footage.

Intelligence is also being gathered, with one stolen vehicle been recovered so far.

A dedicated team of officers are being supported by specialist resources as enquiries continue.

One week on from the first incident, officers are appealing for information after a house was deliberately set on fire in Cortmalaw Gardens, Glasgow on Thursday, 3 April, 2025.

Extensive enquiries are also ongoing into wilful fire-raisings at four other properties across the city.
• Premises in Milton Road, Kirkintilloch on Friday, 4 April, 2025
• Properties in Gala Street and Ashgill Road, Glasgow on Monday, 7 April, 2025
• Property in Meadow Court, Stepps, on Monday, 7 April, 2025
• Premises in Wellington Road, Bishopbriggs on Tuesday, 8 April, 2025

A team of detectives are investigating these incidents and a number of reports of discharges of firearms and fire-raising in the East of the country, which are all being treated as potentially linked at this time.

Detective Chief Superintendent David Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “It is vital that we trace whoever is responsible for these reckless acts as soon as possible.

“While we believe these to be targeted attacks, the consequences could have been far more serious and I want to make it clear this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“I would urge anyone with information about any of these incidents to please get in touch.

“We would also be keen to speak to anyone with dash-cam, doorbell footage or personal footage, from the areas where these incidents have taken place.

“Significant enquiries are ongoing in relation to all of these incidents, and we are utilising all available resources to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

A number of arrests have been made in the East and a number of warrants have been executed in the city.

On Thursday, 10 April, 2025, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old male youth were arrested in connection with wilful fire-raisings in Edinburgh.

The 18-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with an incident which took place in Hay Drive on Friday, 4 April, 2024, a wilful fire at a premises in Albert Street on Thursday, 6 March, 2025 and the wilful fire of a vehicle in the Parrotshot area on Sunday, 2 March, 2025.

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Friday, 11 April, 2025.

The 17-year-old male youth has been released pending further enquiries.

A number of items relevant to the investigation, including weapons, have been seized, along with drugs and cash during the execution of warrants in the past few weeks.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ferry added: “A number of arrests have already been made in connection with incidents in the East and arrests will continue across the country over the coming weeks.

“I want to reassure the communities in the East and West of Scotland that we have a team of detectives working on this investigation and our continued action in recent weeks demonstrates our commitment to tackling this type of crime.

“We will continue to carry out additional high-visibility patrols and disruption activity and I would encourage anyone with any concerns to approach these officers, so we can take action.

“If anyone has information that can help with our enquiries then please contact us immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Two further arrests in connection with wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh

An 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old male youth have been arrested in connection with wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh.

Both have been arrested in connection with an incident which took place in Hay Drive on Friday, 4 April, 2024.

The 18-year-old has also been arrested in connection with a wilful fire at a premises in Albert Street on Thursday, 6 March, 2025 and the wilful fire of a vehicle in the Parrotshot area on Sunday, 2 March, 2025.

Enquiries are ongoing into the incidents, which are linked to the recent discharge of firearms and other fire-raising incidents in the city.

A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

A 24-year-old man was earlier arrested and charged in relation to two wilful fireraisings. He was due to appear in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 8 April.

Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “I want to reassure the community that extensive enquiries are ongoing into this investigation and arrests will continue over the coming weeks.

“If you have any information that can assist our investigation, please get in touch.”

Police appeal following another deliberate fire in Niddrie

Detectives are appealing for information after a house was deliberately set on fire in Hay Drive in the early hours of this morning.

Around 1.20am on Friday, 4 April, 2025, officers were made aware of a fire, which also spread to a neighbouring property. Emergency services attended and the fire was extinguished.

There were no reports of any injuries but substantial damage has been caused to both properties.

Extensive enquiries are ongoing and from our investigations so far, officers believe this incident may be linked to the recent discharge of firearms and other fire-raising incidents in the city.

Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “It is vital that we trace whoever is responsible for this reckless act as soon as possible.

“While we believe this was a targeted attack, the fire has spread to a neighbouring property and the consequences could have been far more serious.

“Our enquiries suggest this incident is linked to groups who are actively targeting each other but we understand this will be concerning for the local community.

“Please be assured we are working hard to trace those involved. Our action this week demonstrates our commitment to tackling this type of crime.”

A motorbike carrying 2 individuals was seen in the area around the time of the fire and officers are keen to anyone who may have seen this vehicle.

Detective Superintendent Grainger added: “We would urge anyone with information, or anyone with dash-cam, doorbell footage or personal footage, to review it and get in touch with officers.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who saw this motorbike in the area.

“Please think back – did you see this vehicle? Or did you see anything suspicious in the area around the time?

“If you have any information at all, please contact us.

“Plain-clothed and uniform officers will remain in the area while our investigations continue.

“Anyone with any concerns, or any information, can approach these officers.”

Two further arrests have been made after more warrants were executed this week in Edinburgh following this series of incidents.

On Thursday, 3 April, divisional officers from Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, supported by specialist resources from Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism and firearms officers, attended at five addresses across Edinburgh and Musselburgh.

A number of items relevant to the investigation, including weapons, were seized, along with drugs and cash.

Two men, aged 25 and 33, were arrested and charged with drugs offences. Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. A 38-year-old man was also reported to the Procurator Fiscal, and a 30-year-old man was given two recorded police warnings, for drugs offences.

Detectives, supported by firearms officers, also executed two additional firearms search warrants in the Leith area of Edinburgh this morning (Friday, 4 April). The activity was part of an ongoing investigation into the discharge of firearms and fire-raising incidents in the city last month.

So far officers have arrested six people in total, checked around 1600 vehicles and recovered eight which had been stolen. Around 2400 hours of CCTV footage are being examined and officers on patrol have delivered 500 leaflets in the community to reassure them.

Chief Superintendent David Robertson, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: “These incidents could have had much more serious consequences and I want to make it clear this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Significant enquiries are ongoing in relation to all of these incidents, and we are utilising all available resources to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

“We will continue to carry out additional high-visibility patrols and disruption activity across the city and I would encourage anyone with any concerns to approach these officers, so we can take action.

“If anyone has information that can help with our enquiries then please contact us immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Tracy Gilbert MP presents North East Edinburgh with CAP+ Community Alcohol Partnership of the Year Award

On Wednesday (April 2nd), Edinburgh North and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert presented the Community Alcohol Partnership award to the North East Edinburgh division for their Innovative Youth Engagement and Community Impact efforts at an event at Westminster.

A partnership set up to tackle underage drinking has been rewarded for its work. The North East Edinburgh Community Alcohol Partnership was named ‘CAP+ of the Year’ by national organisation Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) at its annual awards ceremony in the Houses of Parliament on 2nd April 2025.

CAP sets up and supports local partnerships that aim to reduce alcohol harm in children and young people, improve their health and well-being and enhance their communities.

Tracy Gilbert MP said: “I was honoured to present the 2025 CAP+ Award to North East Edinburgh.

“It’s fantastic to see their hard work and dedication being recognised, especially in light of the remarkable achievement of a 56% reduction in weekly alcohol consumption among 13-15 year olds in Edinburgh and Orkney. This progress is a direct result of the strong local partnerships that have been established.

“These services are vital for our young people. CAPS’ commitment to working alongside them has produced incredible outcomes.

“I want to extend a huge congratulations to all the divisions across the UK for their remarkable achievements.”

North East Edinburgh CAP was recognised for its exceptional efforts in addressing underage drinking and fostering positive change among young people in the local community.

Led by Police Officers Lauren Munro and Ania Morrison, the CAP has demonstrated outstanding creativity and dedication in tackling complex youth-related issues.

Lauren and Ania commented: “We had another great year working with CAP. With the invaluable mentoring and continuous support from the national CAP team we were able to come together with other partner agencies to deliver numerous projects over the course of 2024.

“We’re really honoured to accept this award.”

Kate Winstanley, Director of Community Alcohol Partnerships said: “The North East Edinburgh CAP, under the leadership of PC’s Munro and PC Morrison, is a brilliant example of innovation and effectiveness.

“Their creative initiatives and unwavering commitment to engaging with vulnerable young people have made a real difference in their community. This award is a well-deserved recognition of their outstanding work.”

Local volunteer helps Care & Repair Edinburgh

Keith is a local volunteer for the charity Care & Repair Edinburgh that helps older and vulnerable people stay independent, comfortable, safe, and secure in their own homes for as long as they can and want to.

Keith gets the bus or walks to the homes of older and disabled people in EH3, EH4 and EH5 (and further abound!) who have booked some DIY work with the charity.

Keith has completed 50 jobs since August 2022 in the area which has included changing many lightbulbs, and he is up a ladder in a whizz!

This is the most popular job that Keith does and can make so much difference to someone who only has one bulb as the main light source in a room. Another popular request is changing lightbulbs in fridges and hanging curtains or setting up a new laptop.

Keith goes that extra mile and has done jobs like typing up simplified instructions on how to use a mobile phone for an older person. In many cases, just visiting the client makes a big difference to them especially if they are housebound and have had few visitors.

2025 is the 40th anniversary of the charity Care & Repair Edinburgh who provide practical help around the homes of the elderly and disabled residents of Edinburgh.

The charity, which was based in Leith, was established in 1985 with the premise of “helping elderly people who are in most need and whose homes require repair or improvement”.

Forty years later the charity still provides affordable DIY and repairs for older and disabled residents of Edinburgh, however the services and the number of people being helped has dramatically increased.

Between a four-year period of 1985 to 1989 670 clients were helped but in 2025 the charity will help nearly that number of elderly and disabled people in one month!

In 2024 Care & Repair Edinburgh carried out over 6,000 DIY jobs around the homes of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.

This has ranged from changing lightbulbs and putting up pictures through the Volunteer Service or installing keysafes so that an older person can stay independent in their own home with a little bit of help from friends, family members or carers. Small electrical repairs have been carried, which have included changing cracked light fittings and socket plates.

The joiner has fixed sash cords in windows, installed grab rails and handrails so clients can get out into their garden or installed shelves and curtain poles to make a house more homely.

Interestingly the age range of clients that the charity has helped has also changed over the years. In 1985 only 17% of the clients were over 80 years’ old, while today the figure is more than 46% and 11over 100-year-olds were supported last year.

Care & Repair Edinburgh’s Director, Allison Strachan, said: “It is wonderful to see the difference that we can make to the lives of the elderly and disabled residents in Edinburgh, and we receive such kind feedback from clients.

“Sometimes what seems like an impossible job for an elderly person who does not have very good mobility, for example climbing a ladder to change a lightbulb can be done by our wonderful volunteers in a flash!”

Today Care and Repair Edinburgh help older and vulnerable people stay independent, comfortable, safe, and secure in their own homes for as long as they can and want to.

Please get in touch with Care & Repair Edinburgh if you think we can help you and need some practical work carried out around your home or you would like to volunteer or make a donation so that this Edinburgh institution can carry on for another 40 years.

TODAY: Heating Meeting

ONLINE: – 2 to 3.30pm

Calling all community activists in Newhaven / Trinity / Granton / West Pilton – can you share your ideas about how decisions should be made on heating system changes coming within 5-15 years?

– How to tackle fuel poverty? Stop energy leaking out of homes!

– After gas … what? Heat pumps or heat networks?

These are big technical options being discussed right now by the Scottish Government and the City Council.

– Do you want a say in the new arrangements the infrastructure needed?

– Share your views on what will happen when gas no longer heats homes / workplaces.

– Could a Local Place Plan / a Local Energy Plan help?

This online workshop is for community organisers and residents interested in the issues. It will inform future funding applications and support for community organisations looking to take control of their journey to a low carbon future.

Book your place: https://tinyurl.com/2vfp5kv8

Strange Town presents ‘The Dark Up Close’

Established in 2008, Leith-based charity Strange Town was set up to ensure that everyone, no matter their experience or their background, gets the opportunity to access life-changing activities in the arts.

Founded by local Directors Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, the organisation has expanded across the last 15 years and now reaches 2,000 local young people every year through youth theatre classes, holiday programmes, a touring company and agency support for young actors helping to develop the careers of some of Scotland’s best-known local talent including Tallulah Greive and Lewis Gribben.

Across all the charity’s activities, Strange Town creates high quality work that is daring and entertaining, tackling subjects of importance to young people’s lives, such as consent, knife crime and climate change anxiety.

The organisation tours local schools with educational performances that spark discussion, debate and often provides local young people with their first experience of a theatrical performance.

This week the charity’s Young Company (18-25) returns to the Scottish Storytelling Centre after their sold out shows there last year. ‘The Dark Up Close’ by local writer Jack MacGregor has been specially commissioned for Strange Town’s Young Company.

Open to everyone age 12+ the play will run for two nights Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th March.

‘Two teenagers digging graves, an island full of conscripts and puffins, the guns are silent on the eve of World War III.

‘These are scenes from a near future Britain, a country in crisis, with national service reinstated for all young people. The old world is dying, and the new world has been delayed indefinitely.’

Venue: The Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, EH1 1SR

Times: 7.30pm (1 hour)

Tickets Prices: £12 / £10

Ticket Link: https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:5893/

Arts activities enrich lives, but organisations such as Strange Town are seriously under-funded, and the future is uncertain. Strange Town relies on its fundraising activities to deliver fully accessible activities for local young people.

Funders include the Backstage Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Cordis Trust, Crerar Trust and others.

The charity also runs the 15for15 fundraising initiative where local people can donate monthly to support their life-changing work.

More details here https://strangetown.org.uk/about-us/donations-info-page/

Man convicted of Leith Street murder

A 25-year-old man has been convicted of murder and an attempted murder in Edinburgh in 2023.

On Friday, 2 June 2023, police were called to attend a report of a disturbance on Leith Street near to the junction with Greenside Row. Peter Mullen, aged 30, was found with serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he died a short time later.

Officers subsequently arrested and charged Dylan Curran in connection with the death, and on Friday (14 March, 2025), he was convicted of murder following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Dylan Curran

Curran was also convicted of the attempted murder of a 43-year-old man during the same incident. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “Our thoughts remain with Peter’s family and friends as they come to terms with what happened to him. I hope this verdict will bring some sense of justice for them.

“Dylan Curran will now face the consequences of his deplorable actions.

“Thankfully violent crimes like these in public places are rare in our communities. When such incidents take place, we will use all resources necessary to carry out thorough, rigorous inquiries to ensure we track down those responsible to bring them to justice.

“I would like to thank those members of the public who assisted with our enquiries.”

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Gain valuable insights on CV writing, interview skills, personal branding, and explore career opportunities at TSB.

– Date: Friday, 7th March 2025

– Time: 14:00-15:00

– Location: ELREC, 14 Forth Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3LH

If interested, please register by emailing mrostami@elrec.org.uk.

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Utilita Energy Hub supports campaign to save Pilmeny Development Project

High street hub welcomes PDP committee members to its free Community Room – and don’t miss your chance to win this month’s hub raffle prizes

Natasha Baillie, Supervisor at the Leith Energy Hub, and her dedicated team are looking forward to welcoming the Pilmeny Development Project (PDP) management committee members to the hub’s Community Room on Friday, 7 March.

PDP is facing a loss of funding which will mean closure of its services to socially isolated older people in Leith Walk, Leith Wards and North East Edinburgh.

The Utilita Hub’s Energy Experts have worked with the PDP for several years, ever since they began using the Community Room to help those being digitally excluded during the pandemic.

Keen to encourage others to make use of the hub’s facilities, Natasha said: “Our Community Room provides local groups and charities with a free and safe space for them to hold meetings or community events – with complimentary WiFi and refreshments available.

“Whilst we fully appreciate that times are tough and that difficult funding decisions have to be made, we also recognise the important work that Pilmeny Development Project does to protect vulnerable, local, older people. Our shared aim of helping the local community makes using the Community Room an obvious venue choice for PDP.

“Whether you’re running a literacy class, a knitting circle, or gathering for a community event, please do get in touch to find out more about the hub’s meeting room facilities.”

Tackling food and fuel poverty

Hub visitors will have the chance to enter this month’s Utilita Leith Energy Hub’s Kids and Adults prize raffles – with the prize winners being revealed on Red Nose Day (Friday, 21 March). This year’s Red Nose Day event will focus on supporting those in need during the current cost of living crisis, shining a spotlight on issues like food and fuel poverty.

Utilita’s charitable partner, Utilita Giving, is dedicated to alleviating and preventing the hardship caused by fuel and food poverty while raising public awareness about this critical issue.

Natasha added: “We would like to wish all our hub visitors good luck in this month’s Kids and Adults prize raffles – by taking part you’ll be helping us to raise awareness of food and fuel poverty.

“The Kids prize hamper includes toys, Teddy Bears, sweets, as well as art and craft items. The prize up for grabs by their grown-ups is a 3.5L slow cooker, with a packet of slow cooker liners.

“There’s also a Tombola coming soon, so be sure to visit the Leith Energy Hub for your chance to win craft goods, chocolates and gift sets.”

Open to all

Utilita Energy Hubs are high street locations where customers can top up their accounts, check their balances, and get energy-saving advice – based not just in Edinburgh but also Gosport, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Luton, Derby, West Bromwich, Sheffield, Leicester, Blackburn, Huddersfield and Hartlepool.

The Utilita Leith Energy Hub is open from Monday to Saturday at 41 Newkirkgate, Edinburgh, EH6 6AA. See more on Utilita Energy Hubs at https://utilita.co.uk/energy-hub.