Detectives in Edinburgh have acknowledged the conviction of George Anthony McClure Newby for sexual offences, including rape.
The 32-year-old was been found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday (26 August, 2022).
Newby was convicted of serious sexual crimes against two women in the Edinburgh area in 2020 and 2021.
Detective Inspector McArthur-Kerr of the Edinburgh Public Protection Unit said: “George Newby is a predatory and dangerous man who committed horrendous crimes against his two victims.
“It is thanks to the courage of the women who came forward that he has been now been found guilty of these crimes and the cruelty of his behaviour has been exposed.
“I would like to commend them in their bravery throughout this investigation and trial. Hopefully the verdict today will help them moving forward.”
The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) remains in operation as the Met Office Amber warning of extreme heat extends to more parts of Scotland this week.
The warning has been extended further northeast to Dundee.
This means that all of Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and eastern parts of Lanarkshire are all now included in the warning, as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.
The warning is valid from 00.00 on Monday 18 July to 23.59 on Tue 19 July. Red warnings are in place for other areas of the UK.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown, lead Minister for resilience, attended a Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) meeting chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr Malthouse, on the extreme heat warning, on Saturday (16 July).
Mr Brown said: “We are aware of the extension to the weather warnings currently in place and are receiving regular updates from partners including the Met Office and emergency services. Our resilience arrangements have been activated and stand ready at all times to coordinate a response to severe weather issues where required. We will continue to closely monitor developments.
“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol.
“I would also urge people to look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.
“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and people should be aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999.
“If you are planning on travelling to the areas covered by the Red warning, you should be prepared for significant disruption, and may want to consider delaying your travel. If you decide to travel, you should prepare appropriately, and keep-up to date with travel alerts.”
The Met Office warning covers Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, and eastern parts of Lanarkshire as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.
While these areas will see more extreme temperatures, it is important to note that there will be high temperatures across much of the country, especially up the east coast to the Moray Firth.
The Met Office has warned that some people are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.
For guidance people should:
stay indoors or shaded when the sun is at its hottest (11am – 3pm)
drink plenty of cool fluids throughout the day
eat cold foods with high water content such as salads and fruit
take a cool shower, bath or body wash
sprinkle water over skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck
avoid alcohol – which can leave you dehydrated
avoid extreme physical exertion
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion – headache, feeling confused or dizzy, rapid pulse or fast breathing, body cramps (particularly in the arms, legs and stomach), feeling sick or vomiting – they need to be shaded from the sun and cooled down. Heat exhaustion is not normally serious if the person is treated within 30 minutes and symptoms begin to improve.
Ensure that babies, children or older people are not left alone in stationary cars or other closed spaces. Animals should not be transported in extreme temperatures.
The Met Office is also warning of an increased risk of risk of wildfires and disruption to transport.
EDINBURGH
Today:
Hot and Sunny.
A few early mist patches across Dumfries and Galloway soon clearing to a fine day with very warm or hot sunshine and mainly light winds. Maximum temperature 30 °C.
Tonight:
A warm sunny start to the evening but increasing amounts of high cloud later. Mainly dry and very mild overnight with a mixture of high cloud and clear spells. Minimum temperature 19 °C.
Tomorrow (Tuesday):
Hot again with sunshine and periods of high cloud. This may allow for an isolated shower, though majority staying dry, sunny. Occasional gusty breeze by coasts. Chance of thunder overnight. Maximum temperature 34 °C.
A Scottish Government Resilience (SGoRR) meeting was held yesterday to prepare for the potential impacts of a Met Office Amber warning of extreme heat in Scotland next week.
The warning covers southern parts of Scotland from 00.00 on Monday 18 July to 23.59 on Tue 19 July. Red warnings are in place for other areas of the UK.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown, lead Minister for resilience, said: “We are aware of the weather warnings currently in place and are receiving regular updates from partners including the Met Office and emergency services.
“Our resilience arrangements have been activated and stand ready at all times to coordinate a response to severe weather issues where required. We will continue to closely monitor developments.
“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol.
“I would also urge people to look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.
“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and people should be aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999.”
The Met Office warning covers southern parts of Scotland including eastern parts of Dumfries and Galloway, much of the Scottish Borders and parts of East Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Midlothian.
While these areas will see more extreme temperatures, it is important to note that there will be high temperatures across much of the country, especially up the east coast to the Moray Firth.
The Met Office has warned that some people are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.
For guidance, people should:
stay indoors or shaded when the sun is at its hottest (11am – 3pm)
drink plenty of cool fluids throughout the day
eat cold foods with high water content such as salads and fruit
take a cool shower, bath or body wash
sprinkle water over skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck
avoid alcohol – which can leave you dehydrated
avoid extreme physical exertion
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion – headache, feeling confused or dizzy, rapid pulse or fast breathing, body cramps (particularly in the arms, legs and stomach), feeling sick or vomiting – they need to be shaded from the sun and cooled down. Heat exhaustion is not normally serious if the person is treated within 30 minutes and symptoms begin to improve.
Ensure that babies, children or older people are not left alone in stationary cars or other closed spaces. Animals should not be transported in extreme temperatures.
The Met Office is also warning of an increased risk of risk of wildfires and disruption to transport.
New legislation to control the sale and use of fireworks will improve public safety and benefit communities for years to come.
The Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill passed following a Scottish Parliament debate and introduces a fireworks licensing system, with mandatory safety training, for people wishing to purchase and use fireworks.
It also introduces powers for local authorities to designate firework control zones, restrictions on the supply and use of fireworks, and a new offence to criminalise the supply of fireworks and pyrotechnics to under-18s.
Being in possession of a firework or other pyrotechnic in a public place, or at certain places or events, without reasonable excuse also becomes an offence.
The passage of the Bill saw extensive consultation and stakeholder engagement with the legislation receiving strong backing from a coalition of professional medical bodies who described it as an “historic achievement” and “a major step forward for injury prevention in the community”.
Community Safety Minister Ash Regan said: “This ground-breaking new legislation will improve the lives of people right across Scotland.
“This is not a ban on fireworks. We still want people to enjoy them safely, for example attending organised displays.
“But this vitally important step will make firework use more predictable and safer. The Bill will ensure appropriate action can be taken over the dangerous or disruptive use of fireworks, as well as reducing the misuse of pyrotechnic devices such as flares.
“It also demonstrates our absolute commitment to further improve safety for communities across Scotland.
“I am deeply grateful for valued support and consideration this Bill received from NHS staff, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish SPCA and Police Scotland.”
Eleanor Robertson, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Burns and Plastic Surgery at Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary said: “Having witnessed the initial and lasting impacts of firework injuries, we welcome any move to protect people in Scotland from firework-related harm.
“Incidents involving fireworks and pyrotechnics can be devastating to those impacted and can alter someone’s quality of life permanently.”
Gilly Mendes Ferreira, head of innovation and strategic relations for the Scottish SPCA, said: “The passing of this Bill will help to tackle the impact that private use in particular can have and help to keep communities across Scotland safe.
“We always ask that that the public enjoy fireworks responsibly and be mindful of the negative effect their misuse can have on people and animals.”
Edinburgh’s residents are being encouraged to have their say on what makes them feel safe or unsafe when out and about in the Capital and what they think could improve this.
The Women’s Safety in Public Places Community Improvement Partnership (WSPP CIP) has launched a new consultation on what makes Edinburgh residents, especially girls and women and vulnerable people, feel safe or unsafe in Edinburgh’s public spaces.
Recognising that making spaces safer for women, makes them safer for everyone, views are being sought on where people feel safe or unsafe and why, as well as what they think could be done to improve feelings and perception of safety. Findings will inform future plans to make Edinburgh ‘Safer by Design’.
Last year a report on Women’s Safety in Public Places was presented to the Policy and Sustainability Committee (30 November 2021). The report presented information from a number of teams within the Council, including Community Safety, 20-Minute Neighbourhoods and the Equally Safe Edinburgh Committee and proposed a range of actions to support and promote the safety of women and girls across the capital.
One of the first activities to drive forward the actions is a consultation into girls’ and women’s feelings about safety in public spaces in Edinburgh.
The Women’s Safety in Public Places Community Improvement Partnership was assembled in January 2022 consisting of representatives from the Council and Police Scotland and this consultation will now run for 12 weeks.
Councillor Mandy Watt, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We recognise that some women and girls do not feel safe in public places. We are working to identify what makes particular areas and places feel safe or unsafe and what city partners can do to improve this.
“Women consider personal safety constantly in their everyday lives, from meeting and socialising with friends, to travelling on public transport and walking home. Recent murders of women in public spaces sparked a national conversation about how women feel unsafe and alter their behaviours to keep safe and the partnership is committed to addressing this in the Capital.
“Edinburgh prides itself on being an inclusive, diverse and welcoming city but there is no denying that like other cities in the UK more can be done to make our residents feel safe. This consultation is vital with responses helping to inform the future of how we develop and improve public spaces across the whole of the Edinburgh area, from the design of roads and pathways to the layout of parks and shopping areas and more.
“We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to make residents feel safe in their city. I would encourage everyone to take part in the consultation so that their feedback is at the heart of developing Edinburgh.”
The Partnership will use the findings from the consultation to inform their report and recommendations to bring back to the Council later this year.
Combined with data from Police Scotland, this report will help to inform future place-making and development plans for Edinburgh on how to make the city safer for all.
The online consultation is hosted on the City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space. It is open for 12 weeks from Monday 27 June 2022 to 20 September 2022.
Firearms and ammunition can be surrendered at police stations across Scotland as part of a UK-wide firearms surrender campaign.
From Thursday 12 May until Sunday 29 May, people in possession of firearms and ammunition, for which they do not hold a valid certificate, will be able to surrender these to police.
In addition to being able to hand in firearms and ammunition, the public will be able to hand over replica firearms, air weapons, BB guns, imitation firearms, component parts and other ballistic items.
The public can hand firearms and weapons to any police station, however are asked where possible to attend at designated locations across Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The purpose of the firearms surrender campaign is to remove firearms from criminal availability and therefore reduce the risk of harm to the public and our communities.
“People will be able to surrender unlicensed weapons and ammunition to a number of dedicated police stations throughout Scotland and I would encourage people to do so.”
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said: “I would encourage anyone in possession of an unneeded or unlicensed firearm or air weapon to safely hand it over to police at one of their designated police stations.
“Firearm offences remain at historically low levels in Scotland, but by removing unwanted weapons this important campaign by Police Scotland will help keep our communities safe and prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”
Dedicated stations for the surrender are:
Edinburgh Division: St Leonards
Fife Division: Levenmouth, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline
Forth Valley Division: Stirling, Randolphfield, Falkirk
Lothians and Scottish Borders: Dalkeith, Galashiels, Haddington, Livingston
The latest figures from the Water Incident Database (WAID) indicate that in Scotland there was an increase in water-related fatalities in 2021.
The database, which is maintained by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) and focuses on gathering information related to water-based incidents, also revealed a marked rise in accidental drownings last year, too. The released figures from 2021, show that there were 58 accidental water-related fatalities in Scotland, and form part of the total water-related fatalities in the country which stands at 105 for last year.
Water Safety Scotland (WSS) has released its annual trend report which details the latest figures in comparison to Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy (SDPS) and the previous year’s data.
Carlene McAvoy, Water Safety Scotland’s Data Subgroup Chair, said: “Unfortunately we have seen an increase in water-related fatalities from the average number usually seen in Scotland.
“The recent figures for accidental water-related fatalities show a 16 per cent increase in comparison to the SDPS baseline – bringing accidental water-related fatalities to their highest point for the last five years.”
Water Safety Scotland and its partners have responded to the tragedies that occurred in 2021 by releasing an Interim Review of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy which monitors the changes that have occurred from the original release of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy (SDPS) in 2018.
It also maps out the planning of future actions and objectives to help reduce the number of water-related accidental fatalities in and around the waters of Scotland.
The Minister for Community Safety, Ash Regan, has also released a Water Safety Action Plan, which acts to complement the strategy.
In a bid to counteract the rise in water-based incidents, and ahead of the summer, Water Safety Scotland is urging people to be safe and follow their three-part Water Safety Code:
Stop and Think, Spot the Dangers
Stay Together, Stay Close
In an Emergency, Call 999
Expanding on this advice, free education resources have also been released by WSS and Education Scotland prior to the summer break to assist teachers and practitioners by providing key lifesaving information to students in schools. These resources are free to use and are age and stage-appropriate. Linked intrinsically to the water safety code, more resources for all levels will be released over the summer and autumn.
Michael Avril, Chair of Water Safety Scotland, said: “The figures released today are a reminder that the work undertaken by WSS and its partners is vitally important. WSS will continue to work in partnership to prevent water-related fatalities by working with communities and national partners for a consistent approach across Scotland. Drowning is preventable and together we can help prevent future water-related fatalities and ensure that people have a safe and positive experience around our waterways”
The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) is launching the UK’s first water rescue Emergency Drone Piloting Award.
The water safety and lifeguarding experts, have partnered with innovative Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and Drone specialists Eagle Eye Innovations (EEI) to create a unique water rescue award, launching this month.
The Emergency Response Drone Pilot Award offers candidates the opportunity to learn the skills, technical knowledge and legalities of using and operating a drone to assist with water-based rescues.
The drones are fully waterproof, specially designed for rescues and can find a person in difficulty and deploy a torpedo buoy or inflatable lifesaving device, allowing precious time for a lifeguard or Emergency Services to reach the casualty.
The course content is Civil Aviation Authority approved and covers; rules and regulations of formal drone flying in the UK, practical drone flying techniques and the lifesaving skills required to perform emergency actions with a drone that preserves life until rescuers arrive.
Upon completion, candidates will receive three accreditations: a CAA A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 C of C), a General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVA) and a RLSS UK Emergency Response Drone Pilot Award.
RLSS UK was established more than 130 years ago and is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in lifeguarding and water safety. They have a proud history of helping to reduce the number of lives lost to drowning and sharing their lifesaving knowledge to save lives and ensure everyone can enjoy water safely.
Eagle Eye Innovations (EEI) are a unique company within the still fledgling Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). They are the longest-running RPAS Academy in the UK, with unrivalled experience -including RAF trained instructors with over 70+ years combined and Military Search and Rescue qualified instructors.
EEI is responsible for training much of the UK’s police force and other emergency services.
Robert Gofton, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), said: “We are excited to be partnering with EEI on this pioneering new rescue award.
“Concerningly accidental water-related deaths increased in 2021. If using the latest technologies, such as drones, can preserve life until rescuers can reach a casualty, it can only lead to saving more lives and stopping families from suffering tragedy of losing a loved one.”
Sion Roberts, Managing Director, EEI, said: “The partnership we have established with the RLSS UK brings an exceptional team that can emphasise and educate the disruptive capability of Remotely Piloted technology, through professional training processes and world-class instructors.
The flying skills and knowledge that the candidates will learn from the course will add a unique and lifesaving capability to their existing skillsets. It’s another great example of using Drones for Good”.
Tony Weston, who attended the trial course, said: “Wow – what a week, learning a new life skill – flying a drone that could aid the saving of lives! The experience was memorable, and the training team were excellent.”
The award is ideally suited to Emergency Services – Fire Rescue and Police, Local Authorities, Open Water Venues, Triathlon Clubs, Canal & River Trusts, Landowners, River Rescue, Search & Rescue companies. The first course is on Monday 25 – Friday 29 April 2022 at RLSS UK’s headquarters in Worcester.
Crimestoppers Scotland, BTP Scotland, Network Rail and the Rail industry raise awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment, encouraging reporting and helping to make sure there is no unsafe space on Scotland’s railways
Research shows people don’t realise that behaviours like wolf whistling, leering/staring or deliberately invading personal space are forms of sexual harassment
Crimestoppers Scotland has joined with Network Rail, BTP Scotland and the rail industry to tackle sexual harassment by ensuring people understand what constitutes such behaviour.
The campaign will also inform people of the action they can take to report sexual harassment if they witness it and thereby help to combat it.
New research shows a lack of awareness about the seriousness of non-physical types of sexual harassment, which can be distressing and frightening for those who experience them.
The survey of over 2,500 people, carried out for the Rail Delivery Group by 2CV, reveals just a minority of rail passengers realise that wolf whistling (30%), inappropriate staring (37%) or someone sitting/standing too close on an otherwise quiet carriage (39%) is sexual harassment.
Government research shows that 84% of women and 60% of men in the UK population have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime.
To tackle this, the rail industry is raising awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment with a Scotland-wide social media campaign, information distributed at Scotland’s stations – including big screens – to report instances where they feel unsafe. This will make it clear to perpetrators that their behaviour is not tolerated on the railway.
The rail industry expects that promoting a shared understanding of what sexual harassment looks like will help people who see or experience it gain the confidence to speak. This will help ensure perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and BTP is encouraging reporting to give them a greater opportunity to detect and punish offenders.
Allan Brooking, Community Safety Manager at Network Rail Scotland said:“Any form of sexual harassment is unacceptable on our railway and in wider society. We want all our customers to feel confident that they can use the railway without feeling unsafe, violated, or intimidated.
“This campaign will contribute to making Scotland’s Railway safer, ensuring people understand what constitutes sexual harassment and what actions they can take to report sexual harassment.
“We are working closely with Crimestoppers, BTP and the wider rail industry to demonstrate how we can all play our part in keeping each other safe and show that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated on our network”
BTP Detective Chief Inspector Arlene Wilson said: “Sexual harassment is anything that makes you or anybody else feel uncomfortable with a sexual element.
“This campaign is about educating people on what is not acceptable and how to report it, so we can work together to make the rail network a hostile environment for sexual harassment. Each report we receive provides us with valuable information which we can use to build an accurate picture of an offender and take action.
“We need to work together with the community to tackle this behaviour and create this hostile environment to discourage people from behaving in this manner. If you look at the root cause of some the behaviours around sexual assault it all stems from sexual harassment.
“We urge anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual harassment to text us on 61016, whether something is happening at the time or has happened recently. Save 61016 in your phone, so you have the number to hand should you ever need us.
“No report is too small or trivial, and we will always take you seriously.”
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said:“Every form of sexual harassment is serious and actions like leering, sitting unnecessarily close or making sexual comments are unacceptable on our railway and in wider society.
“As an industry, we’re committed to ensuring there is no unsafe space on the railway by showing the small number of perpetrators that they are not welcome on trains and at stations. The British Transport Police will hold them to account to make train journeys safer for everyone.”
The campaign reminds passengers that they can contact BTP via text to report any cases of sexual harassment that they witness. By sending a short message with details of what they’ve seen to 61016, witnesses can help BTP to identify perpetrators and reduce potential harm for others in the future. In an emergency, always dial 999.
Angela Parker, National Manager of charity Crimestoppers Scotland, said:“Our charity believes that everyone has the right to feel safe, and that includes when travelling on public transport. Sexual harassment must be stamped out which is why we along with Network Rail Scotland and partners are playing our part in supporting this important campaign.
“If you are uncomfortable about reporting someone you know who is responsible for sexual harassment, remember that you can speak up completely anonymously by calling the railway’s sexual harassment line which is powered by Crimestoppers on 0800 783 0137.
“We guarantee no one will ever know you contacted us and you will be helping to protect others from the harm caused by this unacceptable criminal behaviour.”
National charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to get summer ready by brushing up on their water safety skills and knowledge.
With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months.
“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable.
“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their summer break and enjoy being in or around water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life. Every life is worth saving.”
Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign in June.
The campaign will take place between 18th-25th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.
Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.
“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents.
“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change.
“Drowning Prevention Week brings the focus of water safety to people’s minds, giving everyone the opportunity to be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to be summer ready when it comes to being safe in and around water when the warmer weather is here.”
With many families opting for staycations and heading to the coastlines and waterways for holidays in recent times, having an understanding of what to do if you find yourself or someone else in trouble in the water is more important than ever.
Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code:
whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers;
stay together when around water and always go with family and friends;
in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast;
and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”
Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18th – 25th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk.
