A further four males have been arrested and charged in connection with assault, possession of weapons and breach of the peace following a disturbance in the Jewel area.
The males, aged 20, 19, 18, and 15, are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.
Around 4.20pm on Wednesday, 25 February, 2026, officers were called to a report of males with weapons causing a disturbance. There were no reported injuries.
Two males, aged 18 and 17, were previously arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
Chief Inspector Alison Macdonald said: “I’d like to thank the public for their assistance during our enquiries.
“This type of violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Officers are committed to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour in the local community. Targeted patrols will continue to deter and detect any criminality.
“Anyone with any concerns should speak to local officers or contact us through 101.”
A man has been convicted of sexual offences while he was working as a politician.Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of ten offences following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court of crimes which included sexual assault, stalking, and sexual communication.
The victims were all boys or young men, and the offences took place between 2011 and 2021. The age of the youngest victim was 14.
One of the offences saw Linden sexually assault two victims at a house party in Dundee after a Pride march in 2019.
Linden, who was former leader of North Lanarkshire Council and earlier chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, was arrested and charged by specialist officers from Police Scotland in February 2024.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr said: “This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust.
“He abused this position to befriend young males who were seeking his support and the opportunity to learn from his work, however his conduct toward them was far from professional.
“I’d like to thank the victims who came forward to report their experiences to police. Their testimony and support ensured that we were able to bring Linden before the courts.
“No-one should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is.”
Linden was placed on the sex offenders register and is due to be sentenced in May.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested after a man was found injured in Wardlaw Street, yesterday (Tuesday, 24 March, 2026).
Officers were called to property around 2.40pm and a 50-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment. Hospital staff describe his condition as serious but not critical.
Detective Inspector Alan Sharp said: “Our enquiries are ongoing in the Wardlaw Street area.We would urge any witnesses or anyone with information which may assist our investigation to contact us.”
Anyone with information should contact 101 quoting incident number 1900 of 24 March. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.
Officers from Police Scotland’s serious and organised crime unit have recovered a firearm in Edinburgh.
On Thursday, 12 March 2026, specialist officers searched a wooded area near to Niddrie Mains Road in Edinburgh and discovered a firearm and ammunition
It’s currently unclear if the weapon has been used in the commission of a crime however it will now undergo stringent forensic analysis to establish any wider connections
The recovery is part of ongoing investigations into serious and organised crime across the central belt of Scotland.
Detective Chief Inspector George Calder said: “This recovery will be a significant blow to organised crime groups, I have no doubt this firearm would have been used in violence, which would have resulted in serious injury, or worse.
“I hope this latest find helps to reassure the community of our continued resolve to target those involved in organised crime and demonstrates our commitment to dismantling these groups.
“The public may not always see what we are doing but rest assured a significant level of work is ongoing to disrupt these criminal networks. We are never complacent when it comes to serious organised crime.
“We continue to work closely with our colleagues in partner agencies and the public, sharing information, resources and intelligence in stamping out this illegal activity.
“This is in line with our commitment to achieving the aim and vision of Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy Taskforce.”
A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with thefts and robberies in Edinburgh.
The incidents happened between Sunday, 2 March, and Tuesday, 10 March, 2026, in the Niddrie, Leith and Portobello areas of the city.
A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, and he is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Friday, 13 March, 2026.
Detective Constable Fiona Murray said: “We are aware of the concern these incidents caused to local communities and I would like to thank members of the public for their assistance.”
Former Deputy Chief Constable of Police Scotland Fiona Taylor has been appointed to lead an independent Commission which will consider how to safely and effectively criminalise the purchase of sex in Scotland.
The Commission, whose work will be informed by the views and experiences of those who have been involved in prostitution, will provide recommendations to Ministers including on:
the framing of a new criminal offence for purchasing sex that can be effectively enforced and prosecuted
how to manage any risk to the safety of those involved in prostitution after any new offence is introduced
how to best provide practical, sustainable support for those who wish to exit prostitution
further work to challenge and deter men’s demand for prostitution.
Ministers committed to establishing a Commission following a recommendation by the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee in their Stage 1 Report on the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill.
Ministers will work with Ms Taylor to finalise the Commission’s terms of reference and a panel of experts will be appointed to support her in due course. The Commission will report to Ministers within a year of its first meeting.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “I am clear that prostitution is violence against women and girls and the purchase of sex should be criminalised.
“That is why we are following the Criminal Justice Committee’s recommendation to establish a Commission to consider how this can be done in an effective, enforceable way while addressing concerns raised that criminalisation could place women at higher risk of violence.
“Women also need to be able to access practical, sustainable support to help them exit prostitution and this will be another strand of the Commission’s work, along with what more can be done to challenge and deter men’s demand for buying sex.
“I am very pleased that Fiona Taylor has been appointed as Chair. Fiona brings significant experience to the issues and challenges involved in this important area of work, having had a distinguished career including serving as Deputy Chief Constable and Interim Chief Constable of Police Scotland. Fiona, like the Scottish Government, also recognises the value and importance of lived experience, which will be at the heart of this work.”
Fiona Taylor said: “I am grateful to have been offered the opportunity to chair the independent Commission tasked with progressing this important matter.
“I look forward to working with other members of the Commission, once appointed, and reporting back to Ministers in due course.’
Responding to the announcement, Ash Regan MSP said: “If the government wanted to criminalise the purchase of sex they should’ve voted FOR my #Unbuyable bill last month.
“A commission isn’t action – it’s inaction. Yet again survivors are being let down.”
Members of three Scottish Parliament committees have urged that a joint approach to the scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s work to reduce drug deaths and tackle drug harm must continue following May’s election.
In the report, one MSP explains that the approach emphasised the importance of the shift from seeing drug problems in Scotland as a crime and justice issue to seeing them as a health and social issue.
The committees worked together during this parliamentary session to look at the impact of the measures recommended by the Scottish Drugs Deaths Taskforce.
As part of their work, the committees commissioned, and worked with, a people’s panel, which called for “brave and bold action” to reduce the harms created by drug use in Scotland.
The Members’ report praises the benefits that this approach had on communication between committees, collaboration on tackling this important issue, and the breadth of scrutiny.
"There's still much work to be done to tackle this issue of urgent national importance."
— Social Justice and Social Security Committee (@SP_SJSS) March 6, 2026
Audrey Nicoll MSP, Convener of the Criminal Justice Committee said: “Taking a cross-committee approach to the issue of how to tackle drug deaths and drug related harms has brought everyone’s expertise to the table.
“It has been encouraging to see so many members working together to tackle this issue of urgent national importance.
“However, this issue is not resolved. As our legacy report makes clear, our committees’ work must continue next session.”
Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Sport and Social Care Committee, said: “Thank you to everyone who helped inform our scrutiny of these vital issues, including the members of the people’s panel, who collaborated so well to help recommend what further steps can be taken to prevent drug deaths and harms.
“Cross-party and cross-remit working in the next session will be essential if we are to effectively tackle these issues, and ultimately end the pain caused by drug harms and drug deaths in Scotland.
Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “I am pleased with the impact that our committees’ work has had this session, and it was good to see the recommendations of the people’s panel that we commissioned be agreed to and acted upon by the Scottish Government.
“Drug deaths are not abstract statistics. My heart goes out to every single family that is affected. MSPs must continue to work together next session and do everything possible to tackle this issue.”
A 21-year-old man has been convicted following an attempted murder in Edinburgh.Joshua Stewart pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday (5 March, 2026.)
Officers were made aware of the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh around 9.20pm on Thursday, 22 May, 2025.
Stewart was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Monday, 16 June, 2025.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “This was a violent incident and the conviction is testament to the hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country.
“We will continue to bring those involved in serious criminality to justice.
“Police Scotland remains committed to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.”
Operation Portaledge is the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
