Around 5.30pm yesterday (Thursday, 7 August) police received a report of men seen in possession of what appeared to be a firearm on Loganlea Terrace.
Emergency services attended and found a property on fire.
There were no reports of any injures.
Following further enquiries two men aged 22 and 29 were arrested in connection with drug offences. They have been released pending further enquiries which are ongoing.
No weapons were recovered.
Enquiries are ongoing to establish the cause of the fire.
A teenager involved in the significant disorder within the South West of Edinburgh during Bonfire Night 2024 has been given a prison sentence.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 4 August, the 17-year-old, who cannot be named, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison for mobbing and rioting, which took place in Calder Road on 5 November.
He previously pled guilty to the Calder Road incident and a separate disorder offence that took place on Princes Street on 5 October 2024 and has so far served eight months in prison, having been remanded in custody.
Chief Superintendent David Robertson, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh said: “The scenes we witnessed in Calder Road, along with other areas of the city, last Bonfire Night were wholly unacceptable and resulted in a local car dealership having thousands of pounds worth of damage inflicted upon their vehicles, while our colleagues at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also had their station in the area targeted.
“This individual was an active participant in the disorder and damage that took place during this time, and he was subsequently arrested as a result of thorough inquiries conducted by local officers and CID colleagues.
“His prison sentence is a welcome outcome and should once again highlight the joint commitment of both Police Scotland and COPFS to ensure those responsible for these crimes are brought to justice for their dangerous and unacceptable actions.”
SMALL BOAT CROSSINGS AT RECORD LEVELS
Dangerous criminal gangs profiting from deadly small boats crossings will face a major new crackdown following a £100 million investment in border security.
The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.
The investment will see the Border Security Command, the NCA, the police and other law enforcement agency partners receive a significant cash injection to strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond.
The package of up to £100 million will boost existing law enforcement operations and allow more intelligence to be gathered on organised immigration crime gang members, support upstream capacity building, purchase sophisticated technology and equipment to strengthen UK border security and disrupt the people-smuggling gangs.
The investment will build on the recent successes under existing funding, including the arrest and prosecution of major smuggling gang kingpins, the seizure of over 600 small boats and engines, and the disruption of a further 351 criminal gangs through the work of the NCA.
It comes as the NCA announced their biggest people-smuggling raid and seizure of boat engines in Bulgaria last week – showing the impact increased international law enforcement operations can have.
The comprehensive funding package will include:
The investment will also support the new powers that will be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, which will include the introduction of a UK-wide offence to criminalise the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law, such as the advertisement of small boat crossings on social media.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For six years, the small boat smuggling gangs were allowed to embed their criminal trade along our coast, and have shown a ruthless ability to adapt their tactics and maximise their profits, no matter how many lives they put at risk. They must not be allowed to get away with this vile crime.
“That is why this government has developed a serious and comprehensive plan to dismantle their business model, from disrupting their supply chains across the European continent to clamping down on their illegal working operations here in the UK.
“In the last twelve months, we have set the foundations for this new and much stronger law enforcement approach – establishing the new Border Security Command, strengthening the National Crime Agency and UK police operations, increasing Immigration Enforcement, introducing new counter terror style powers in our Border Security Bill, and establishing cooperation agreements with Europol and other countries.
“Now this additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down, working with our partners overseas, and using state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
“Alongside our new agreements with France, this will help us drive forward our Plan for Change commitments to protect the UK’s border security and restore order to our immigration system.”
National Crime Agency Director General of Operations Rob Jones said: “The NCA focuses on making the biggest impact on organised crime groups behind these lethal crossings.
“We currently have 91 investigations ongoing into the most dangerous people smuggling networks impacting the UK, and are working with partners at home and abroad to target, disrupt and dismantle them.
“This additional funding will help boost our capacity and capability, enabling us to target more offenders.”
The NCA has reported that, in the 2024/25 financial year, it achieved 351 NCA-led disruptions of organised immigration crime networks and activity – its highest level on record – and a 40 percent increase on the previous financial year.
That included 56 high-impact NCA-led disruptions, which meant that those particular investigations led to the prosecution and disruption of those directly responsible for committing the crimes, and resulted in a significant and/or long term impact on the capability of the organised crime group involved.
These new measures fall within government’s Plan for Change.
The government says it is ”restoring order to the immigration system, including the introduction of new legislation under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, tougher enforcement powers, ramping up returns to their highest levels for more than half a decade and a major crackdown on illegal working to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats’.
‘It builds on the work this government has already undertaken to restore order to the immigration system, surging enforcement action against illegal migration, with a 50% increase in arrests of those caught working illegally, returning 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK, and imposing tougher sanctions against gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment.‘
Felix Winter, aged 18 years, has been sentenced to six years in prison for Terrorism offences, at the High Court in Glasgow.
The court heard Winter committed the offences between June 2022 and July 2023, when he was aged between 15 and 16. Winter had made known to others ‘desire and plans to carry out acts of violence involving firearms, explosive devices and poison against pupils and teachers at the school’.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: “This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice.
“The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.”
David Graham, a former Labour Party councillor, was found guilty yesterday (23 July, 2025), following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The offences took place at various locations in Fife and Edinburgh between February and August, 2023.
The Fife councillor, who was suspended by the Labour Party two years ago, will be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Inspector Graham Watson said: “Graham is a manipulative individual who groomed and sexually abused his teenage victim.
“He was well-known and in a position of power when the offending took place.
“I would like to thank the female for her assistance in bringing him to justice.
“We remain committed to investigating all reports of sexual crime and would encourage anyone affected to report it.
“Every report is taken seriously and will be fully investigated, no matter how much time has passed, with support from our specially trained officers and partner agencies.”
LEGAL EXPERT REVEALS THE TACTICS
Motorists across the UK are being urged to stay vigilant as “crash-for-cash” scams continue to rise – with fraudsters deliberately causing rear-end collisions to cash in on bogus insurance claims.
According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), over 170,000 claims linked to suspected crash-for-cash incidents have been made in recent years – costing the UK industry hundreds of millions and pushing up premiums for honest drivers.
Legal expert Adam Jones from HD Claims warns that these staged accidents are often designed to make innocent drivers look responsible, particularly by slamming on brakes in congested traffic or at roundabouts.
“Many of these scams are carefully choreographed to leave you thinking you were at fault,” says Jones. “You may feel you were too close or distracted, but in reality, the collision was intentional. It’s financial exploitation – and in some cases, extremely dangerous.”
“Crash-for-cash fraud doesn’t just cost drivers money – it can cause injury, anxiety, and serious legal consequences,” Adam Jones adds.
“If something feels off, document everything and get legal advice immediately.”
Police have released an image of a man they believe may be able to assist with their investigation into a serious assault in Edinburgh that took place on Clifton Terrace around 12am on Sunday, 2 February 2025.
The man in the image is described as white, in his late 20s to mid-30s and of slim build. He was wearing a dark blue jacket, black jogging bottoms, white trainers, a black Adidas rucksack and a dark coloured baseball cap.
Detective Sergeant Mark Asquith said: “We would encourage this man, anyone who may recognise him, or anyone with information about this incident to get in touch.”
Anyone who can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 0034 of 2 February 2025. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged following the recovery of drugs with an estimated street value in excess of £347,760, in South West Edinburgh.
Around 12pm on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, officers acting on information received searched a flat in Calder Road where they found a cannabis cultivation.
The man was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday and a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
The Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to take forward a groundbreaking partnership to address illegal Channel crossings and dismantle the people smuggling networks.
A new pilot scheme will see small boat arrivals being returned to France then an equal number of migrants will be able to come to the UK from France through a new legal route – fully documented and subject to strict security checks.
The pilot agreement is intended to prevent illegal migrant journeys across Europe to the UK and prevent dangerous small boat crossings, helping to undermine the business model of organised gangs profiting from people’s misery by showing others these journeys could result in them being returned back to France – ultimately saving lives.
Both countries are working to implement the pilot in the coming weeks, and, once in force, migrants who cross the Channel by small boat can be detained and removed.
The Prime Minister has made it a priority to reset relationships across Europe and the government is now unlocking, for the first time, the levels of co-operation needed to deliver new and bold approaches to tackle organised immigration crime.
The French government are working to implement new ways of cracking down on small boats, including a review of their maritime tactics so their operational teams can intervene on the water, ensuring taxi boats that pickup migrants waiting in the water can be stopped.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This ground-breaking deal is a crucial further step in turning the tide on illegal small boat crossings and restoring order to our immigration system.
“For the first time illegal migrants will be sent back to France – targeting the heart of these gangs’ business model and sending a clear message that these life-threatening journeys are pointless.
“By resetting our relationships across Europe we’ve made levels of co-operation possible never seen before. This is about grip not gimmicks, and what serious government looks like – taking down these criminal enterprises piece by piece as we secure our borders through my Plan for Change.”
The Home Secretary hosted her French counterpart, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, in Downing Street yesterday. The ministers discussed the work being done both internationally and domestically to prevent illegal migration, including issues like clamping down on illegal working and increasing removals of those with no right to be here.
Since the government came into power, Immigration Enforcement have increased illegal working activity by 51%, with 10,031 visits leading to 7,130 arrests, and will soon undertake a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.
The UK will go further by changing the law to support a clampdown on illegal working in the gig economy. New biometric kits will be rolled out for Immigration Enforcement teams so they can do on-the-spot checks.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous small boats in our Channel undermine our border security and put lives at risk.
“That is why we are so determined to work with France to go after the criminal smuggler gangs, to undermine their business model, to begin returns and to prevent boat crossings.
“This new pilot agreement with France is extremely important and allows us for the first time to return people who have paid to travel here illegally, and will sit alongside our wider joint enforcement action, including disrupting supply chains to seize boats and engines, shutting down social media accounts, and targeting finances.
“Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests.
“We are building the foundations of a new and stronger approach to protecting our border security.”
Under the new UK-France pilot, any asylum claim submitted by a migrant who has crossed the Channel will be considered for inadmissibility and, if declared inadmissible, the Home Office will organise readmission of the individual to France.
For those coming to the UK legally, an individual in France will submit an Expression of Interest application to the new route and the Home Office will make a decision once they have undergone biometric checks. Anyone who had arrived by small boat and returned to France will not be eligible for the legal route to the UK.
The innovative approach will be tested first before being gradually ‘ramped up’.
Specialist heritage insurer Ecclesiastical is urging heritage sites in Scotland to take steps to prevent being a victim of crime ahead of a bumper summer for UK tourism.
Last year Ecclesiastical carried out a survey of 500 heritage decision makers and found 92% of heritage organisations have suffered crime between 2023-24.
These included incidents of anti-social behaviour, physical abuse towards staff and volunteers from visitors, theft of metal, damage by vehicles, and theft of oil.
In some instances, these attacks on heritage properties led to closures – with over a third (35%) saying they were forced to close their doors as a result.
With tourism set to generate £33.7 billion [i]in spending in 2025, heritage properties, grappling with rising costs, are relying on the busy summer season to secure essential funds. Any enforced closures threaten their ability to do so, putting their future at risk.
Earlier this year VisitBritain published their forecast, based on International Passenger Survey (IPS) data, of tourists visiting the UK and estimated an increase in numbers from 2024, from 41.2 million visits to 43.4 million visits (5% growth) this year.
Ahead of the summer, when many of the UK’s heritage sites will welcome visitors, Ecclesiastical is encouraging heritage property managers to take precautions.
Laura Carter, customer segment director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “As the UK’s leading insurer of Grade I listed buildings, we’re passionate about protecting Britain’s heritage. In recent years we’ve seen thefts from heritage properties increase – causing damage to items and places of real historical significance.
“There are a number of measures heritage organisations can take to better secure property and assets, which would ideally be a combination of both physical and electronic protection. Our guidance has been developed by our risk management experts and we hope it will encourage heritage property owners and managers to review the measures in place to help protect their properties from future attacks.”
In the UK, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) work with Historic England and members of Alliance to Reduce Crime Against Heritage (ARCH) to tackle the threat of heritage crime. Ecclesiastical works alongside the partnership to provide valuable insight in the fight against crime.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, National Policing Lead for Heritage and Cultural Property Crime, said: “Stealing from or damaging any historic buildings or cultural sites is abhorrent. They are attacks on both our national and local heritage and can cause irreplaceable damage.
“We are committed to tackling this issue and our heritage crime officers across the country will continue to work with partners to reduce offending and raise awareness about the long-lasting damage heritage crime can have.”
Ecclesiastical recommends heritage property owners take practical steps to protect themselves, including:
For more information visit www.ecclesiastical.com/riskmanagement.
