Tag: Crime

CCTV appeal following Meuse Lane assault: do you know these men?

Police Scotland has released images of four men they believe may hold information which might assist in relation to a serious assault which left a 20-year-old man unconscious, at Meuse Lane, Edinburgh, around 10.10pm on Saturday, 11 December, 2021.

The first man in the images is described as white, in his mid-40’s, around 5ft 8ins, with short dark hair and of medium build. He was wearing a navy blazer.

The second man is described as white, in his mid-40’s, around 6ft, bald, and of medium build. He was wearing a dark jacket.

The third man is described as white, in his mid-40’s, around 5ft 7ins, bald and of medium build. He was wearing a dark jacket with a blue top underneath.

The fourth man is described white, in his mid-40’s, around 5ft 10ins, and of medium build. He was wearing a dark beanie hat, a dark jacket and blue jeans.

Detective Constable Christopher Docherty of Edinburgh CID, said: “I would urge the men depicted in these images, or anyone who has information relating to them, to make contact with the police.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact CID via 101, quoting incident number 3747 of Saturday, 11 December, 2021. Alternatively, call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be passed on anonymously.”

Police appeal for information after motorcycle fails to stop for officers

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a motorcycle failed to stop for officers on Sunday (26 June, 2022).

Around 12am, officers saw the vehicle, which was later identified as a stolen orange KTM motorcycle, being driven at speed along Leamington Terrace.

The motorcycle was signalled to stop by officers but was driven off down Gilmore Place, towards Viewforth.

The motorcycle was then driven along Dundee Street and towards Fountain Park, in the Fountainbridge area, down Drysdale Road and onto the West Approach Road. It was last seen in the Gorgie Road area.

Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace the driver, passenger and the vehicle. No one was injured during the incident.

The motorcycle’s driver and passenger are both described as wearing dark clothing and balaclavas.

The motorcycle had earlier been reported stolen from Spittal Street, between 7.30pm and 8.30pm on Monday 20 June 2022.

Detective Sergeant Ross Dunn, of Drylaw Police Station, said: “Our enquiries to trace the driver and vehicle are ongoing.

“We believe the area would have been quite busy with members of the public and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to get in touch.

“If you were in the area at the time, please think back and get in touch with us if you have any information which may be able to assist our investigation.

“From our CCTV enquiries, we believe a woman may have filmed the incident in the Fountainbridge area. I am particularly keen to speak with her and would ask her to contact officers as soon as possible.

“I would also ask anyone with dash-cam footage to come forward, you may have captured something which could assist us in our enquiries.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0008 of Sunday, 26 June, 2022.

Police appeal after woman injured in Ocean Terminal incident

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 30-year-old woman was injured at Ocean Terminal Edinburgh at the weekend.

The incident happened around 5.30pm on Saturday (25 June, 2022) when the woman was struck by a shopping trolley which had been thrown from a higher level of the Red Car Park at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre by a group of youths.

The trolley struck the 30-year-old woman causing minor injury, she did not require hospital treatment but was left extremely shaken by the incident.

Several members of the public came to the aid of the victim and we are asking for them, any other witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to make contact with police on 101 quoting incident number 3433 of Sunday 26 June 2022.

Alternatively, anyone with any information can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org

Man convicted of embezzlement

Gordon Couch (57), was yesterday found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of Embezzlement after a three-week long trial.

Mr Couch has been convicted of embezzling £170,000 of funds from Marjorie Stewart, from Edinburgh, both prior to and after her death in September 2013 when he was acting as her Independent Financial Advisor, was her Power of Attorney and the Executor of her Will which afforded him trusted access to funds.

An investigation was launched in 2016 after Mrs Stewart’s family raised concerns about Mr Couch’s conduct including the misappropriation of funds.

Mr Couch had by this time moved to Hong Kong and officers began efforts to secure his return to the UK to face charges. He was finally arrested in 2019 after returning to the UK.

Detective Sergeant Craig Potter said: “This was a complex case covering a large number of years where the power and control afforded to one person was able to be abused.

“Marjorie Stewart’s family were key to uncovering the misappropriation and have shown exemplary conduct throughout the long wait for the case to come to court. Hopefully all the witnesses are afforded some closure by today’s verdict.”

Should you have criminal concerns with regard to Power of Attorney or financial issues, police should be contacted.

If you have concerns about anyone carrying out any of the roles for someone else then advice can always be sought from the relevant regulatory body:

Independent Financial Advisors – Financial Conduct Authority

Power of Attorney – Office of the Public Guardian

Executors – Law Society of Scotland

Trinity incident: CCTV images released

Police are continuing to investigate an assault with intent to rob in the Trinity area. The incident took place at around 7.30pm on Sunday, 2 January, 2022 near the junction of South Trinity Road with Ferry Road.

A 13-year-old boy was walking with a friend on South Trinity Road when he was subjected to an attack.

As part of their investigations, officers are eager to trace the males shown in CCTV images who they believe may be able to assist with the investigation.

The males in the images are described as being in their mid-to-late teens and wearing dark coloured jogging bottoms and hooded tops or tracksuits.

In particular, officers are keen to speak to one of the males who is shown wearing a distinctive pink headband or hood. He is described as being aged 14 to 16 years old, Asian and about 5ft tall.

Officers would ask that any members of the public who recognise the males in the images or have any other information to contact them at the earliest opportunity.

Detective Constable William Doughty of Corstorphine CID said: “This incident left the victim understandably shaken and we are asking for the help of the public to identify those shown in the images as we believe that they may be able to assist with our enquiries.

“Anyone with information that can help our investigation, or who recognises anyone in the images, is urged to contact us or Crimestoppers as soon as possible.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2640 of 2nd January 2022, or report this anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Easter Road hit and run: man arrested

A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a hit and run incident in Edinburgh.

The incident, which involved a car and a pedestrian happened at around 2.40am yesterday (Sunday, 19 June) in Easter Road.

The 21-year old male pedestrian was taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment for serious injuries.

Detective Sergeant Dougal Begg said : “A young man sustained serious injuries as a result of this incident and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area and witnessed the collision to come forward.

“I would also appeal to anyone who has any dashcam or mobile phone footage that could assist with our investigation.

“Police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 0590 of Sunday, 19 June, 2022.”

Investigation launched following disturbance in Leith Street

Detectives are appealing for information after a man was injured in the city centre.

Around 2.50am yesterday (Friday, 17 June), police were called to reports of a disturbance in Leith Street at its junction with Princes Street.

Emergency services attended and a 23-year-old man was taken to hospital.

A 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with this incident.

Detectives are continuing to review CCTV footage and enquiries carried out so far have established that several other people were in the area. Officers believe other people may also have been targeted.

Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor said: “We can see from CCTV images that other people may have been involved and I am asking these members of the public to contact us.

“I am sure their information will assist in our investigation. If you were in Princes Street at its junction with Leith Street in the early hours of this morning, please get in touch with us. Any small piece of information could prove vital.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 290 of 17 June, 2022. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where you can give your information anonymously.

Three men charged following drugs operation in Pilton Drive North

Three men have been arrested and charged following the recovery of a six-figure sum of Class A drugs during a proactive operation in North Edinburgh.

A warrant was executed at a property in Pilton Drive North yesterday (Tuesday 14 June). Officers searched the property and seized a quantity of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, with an estimated street value of £130,500.

Three men – aged 29, 38, and 56 – have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

They are expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Wednesday, 15 June.

Detective Inspector Bob Campbell, of Edinburgh CID, said: “Tackling serious and organised criminality is a priority for Police Scotland and this significant recovery reinforces our determination to target criminals.

“Drug misuse brings nothing but misery to our communities and people’s lives can be ruined.

“I want to reassure the public that we will continue to use every tool and tactic at our disposal to remove these illegal substances from our streets.

“Serious and organised crime has no place in our society and we will continue to disrupt this, and any other criminal activity, which impacts on our lives and our communities.”

Chief Inspector Sarah Taylor, local area commander, said: “We depend on the continued support from our local communities and I would like to thank members of the public who have come forward with vital information, which assisted our investigations.

“I would urge anyone who has any information, or concerns surrounding drugs in their area, to contact police.

“Anyone with concerns can call officers on 101 or alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Police issue appeal for information following serious assault in Gorgie

Police are appealing for information and witnesses following a serious assault in Edinburgh.

Around 1.30pm on Wednesday, 8 June, 2022, a 39-year-old man was on the footpath between Aldi on Gorgie Road and Slateford Green, Edinburgh when he was assaulted by a man with a weapon.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment and later released.

Detective Constable William Doughty, from Corstorphine CID, said: “This incident happened during the day and we are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw what happened or who may be able to provide any information to contact us.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101, quoting number 1658 of Wednesday, 8 June, 2022. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.”

People smugglers jailed for 14 years

Two people have been sentenced for recruiting drivers to smuggle migrants in vans

Two men who dangerously smuggled 31 illegal migrants into the UK, including seven children and a pregnant woman, have been sentenced to a combined 14 years in prison.

Akan Brayan, of Nottingham, and Dylan Shwani, of Lincoln, were found guilty of recruiting drivers to hide migrants in hired vans containing various goods before smuggling them into the UK.

The defendants, both aged 37, were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (7 June, 2022) following a five-year investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit.

They were each sentenced to seven years in prison.

Between 2016 and 2018, Brayan and Shwani, paid six drivers from the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire areas to bring 31 Iraqi migrants, on six separate occasions, into the country.

Although the majority of the migrants were men, children as young as one and a pregnant woman were also found in the vans.

People were crammed into the vehicles among stacks of tyres, second-hand furniture and household goods being transported to the UK. Photos show in one of the vans a woman cradling a small child, with other children sat around her in the tightly enclosed space.

CFI teams found boxes of goods deliberately placed to hide people as well as paprika on the floor of one of the vans in an attempt to confuse sniffer dogs from detecting the migrants’ scents.

Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration, Tom Pursglove MP said: “These brazen attempts to smuggle illegal migrants, including very young children, into the UK in tiny, air-tight spaces with room to barely move, are despicable.

“Our expertly trained officers continue to work round the clock to prevent this illegal activity, which puts lives in extreme danger.

“The Nationality and Borders Act will make it easier to prosecute people smugglers and, by making it a criminal offence to arrive in the UK illegally, we can truly break the business models of these callous criminals.”

Ben Thomas, Deputy Director for Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations, said: “My team work tirelessly to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people unlawfully into the country.

“These two evil men endangered the lives of people, including children, to line their pockets without a care in the world for their safety. I hope these sentencings send a powerful message that breaking the law and putting individuals’ lives at risk will not go unpunished.”