Drylaw Parish Church is holding a Fun 4 All day at the Groathill Road North church on Saturday from 11am – 2pm. Just too many fun activities to mention, and all money raised will support Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Tag: Drylaw
Thief caught using mugged Evelyn’s bus pass is jailed
A THIEF caught using a pensioner’s bus pass to travel to court the morning after she was brutally assaulted and left for dead has been jailed for a year.
Alexander DeVries was accused of attacking 75-year-old church elder Evelyn Crawford in Drylaw after detectives found him with her property, including the pass.
However, a sheriff has ruled that there was not enough evidence linking the 36-year-old – who has previous convictions for theft, wilful fire-raising and assault – to the crime.
Instead, DeVries has pleaded guilty to charges of “theft by finding” and fraudulent use of the pass.
A trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Mrs Crawford’s mobile phone was used to call DeVries’ ex-partner three hours after the robbery on January 15. DeVries admitted using Mrs Crawford’s pensioner’s bus pass the next day to travel to the court for a hearing.
Following the ruling, police chiefs said they were “not looking for anyone else in connection” with the robbery.
Mrs Crawford was unable to identify the man who tore her handbag from her grip, sending her sprawling to the ground and suffering from injuries to her head, broken fingers and broken ribs, which punctured her lung. She needed an operation to remove fluid from her lung.
The court heard detectives recovered CCTV footage from a Lothian bus in the days after the attack, which showed a man using Mrs Crawford’s bus pass. Detectives were able to trace the man as DeVries and a search of his home recovered the victim’s mobile phone, bus pass, wallet and her glasses and case.
Interviewed by officers on January 26, DeVries claimed he had found the mobile phone on a bus while the other items were lying on the ground in West Pilton Rise.
During the interview, which was played to the jury, one of the detectives said: “Everything you found in the last few days belonged to the elderly victim of a robbery. What are the chances of that?”
DeVries replied: “I didn’t rob anyone. It’s not in my nature to rob or steal from anyone. You can say what you want, but I didn’t rob anyone.” DeVries also told the officers: “I really, really sincerely didn’t rob the old lady. Picking up stuff from the ground, I’ll do. Robbery, theft, not my cup of tea.”
Detective Constable James Philp, one of the detectives on the inquiry, said that Mrs Crawford’s phone showed a call to DeVries’ ex-partner at 9.48pm on January 15. Mrs Crawford was attacked and robbed at around 6pm.
DeVries had claimed to police that the phone, which he said he found on a number 37 Lothian bus, was out of battery and he was unable to use it.
Told during the interview that the phone was taken during the robbery, DeVries said: “No danger. Check the cameras on the bus and you’ll see.”
Sheriff Paul Arthurson QC ruled yesterday that the charge of assault and robbery against DeVries – who has been on remand since his arrest on January 26 – could not be heard by the jury. he sheriff said: “There was not sufficient identification of the accused as being the robber. The overwhelming evidence of possession could not correct that defect in the case”.
A police spokesman said: “While we recognise the decision, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this crime.”
In July 2010, DeVries – a father-of-one – was left with a ten-centimetre scar across his face after being slashed with a knife by two muggers in West Pilton Park.
Man pleads guilty to rape of Drylaw pensioner
A TEENAGER today admitted raping and killing a frail pensioner who regarded him as a grandson.
Jay Soso, 19, pleaded guilty to carrying out the horrific sex attack on 63-year-old Marie Reid at her home in Easter Drylaw Way, Edinburgh on November 11, 2010.
Mrs Reid’s body was discovered four days later after family and neighbours became worried because they hadn’t heard from her.
She was found lying in the living room in a bloodstained nightie. Pathologists say that the trauma of the rape contributedd to Mrs Reid death.
Initially, police thought that Mrs Reid’s death was not suspicious, but her son Paul, 31, and step-daughter Jacqueline pressed for further investigations to be made.
At this point it was discovered that someone had had sex with Mrs Reid just before her death.
The cause of death was unascertained, but pathologists said that the rape would have put an additional strain on her heart and lungs and could predispose her to sudden death
Prosecutor Leanne Cross told the High Court in Glasgow: “The deceased was raped on the evening of November 11, 2010. She had died at that time and the rape had made, at the least, a material contribution to the death.
Police contacted everyone who knew Mrs Reid and when interviewed Soso said he had not seen her for a couple of months.
However he gave a mouth swab which was a match for DNA found on Mrs Reid.
The court heard Soso and his mother lived next door to Mrs Reid for five years between 2003 and 2008.
He helped Mrs Reid by running errands for her and she was described by Soso’s mother Sharon as treating him “like a grandson.”
Soso’s family moved to England, but he didn’t like it there and moved back to Edinburgh.
By 2010 he had a job in a fishmongers in the city and lived close to Mrs Reid.
He visited her occasionally claiming he was checking to see how she was.
Speaking outside the court, Mrs Reid’s son Paul said he became worried that something terrible had happened to his mother when he noticed the pre-paid meter for her television was missing along with a tin she collecting loose change in and her purse was empty.
Paul and his step-sister Jacqueline Sanderson, 38, and her husband Gordon, 54, asked for the matter to be thoroughly investigated.
He said: “If it wasn’t for us and our persistence it could have been recorded as a natural death.”
Judge Lady Dorrian deferred sentence on Soso of Spring Gardens, Edinburgh, for background reports and an assessment of the risk he poses to the public until later this month and remanded him in custody.
Happy birthday, Drylaw!
Drylaw Parish Church will be holding a special 60th anniversary service on Sunday (13 May) at 11am. All welcome.
Drylaw launches Food Blog
Drylaw Cooking Group launched their new Blog last week and invited locals into the centre to watch cooking demonstrations, buy cakes, take part in a best apron competition and much more.
The evening was sponsored by Sainsbury’s at Craigleith and Shay Dean the stores PR Ambassador was on hand to assist with the launch night. Around 50 members of the community came along and the night was hailed a success by Elizabeth Graham, Project Worker at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, she said “Our cooking group has been meeting for around two years at the centre and we thought that a great way to spread the word of what we are doing and our recipes is with a Blog. Each week we will update the Blog with recipes and photos from that week and hope that other local people can try some of our recipes.”
Shay Dean from Sainsbury’s said “Our Community Grants Fund is made up of the money raised from the Bags for Life scheme. We granted an award to Drylaw of £150.00 for this Blog launch and I am delighted to come along tonight to represent the store. We also have other projects from North Edinburgh who we are currently assisting with applications and these include PEP, Blackhall Primary School and Craigroyston Girls Football Club.”
Local woman Anne Murray won the best apron competition, and its clear she was a deserved winner as a lot of time and effort has clearly gone into her apron.
You can follow the Drylaw Cooking Group Blog by clicking here.
Drylaw launches Food Blog
Drylaw Cooking Group launched their new Blog last week and invited locals into the centre to watch cooking demonstrations, buy cakes, take part in a best apron competition and much more.
The evening was sponsored by Sainsbury’s at Craigleith and Shay Dean the stores PR Ambassador was on hand to assist with the launch night. Around 50 members of the community came along and the night was hailed a success by Elizabeth Graham, Project Worker at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, she said “Our cooking group has been meeting for around two years at the centre and we thought that a great way to spread the word of what we are doing and our recipes is with a Blog. Each week we will update the Blog with recipes and photos from that week and hope that other local people can try some of our recipes.”
Shay Dean from Sainsbury’s said “Our Community Grants Fund is made up of the money raised from the Bags for Life scheme. We granted an award to Drylaw of £150.00 for this Blog launch and I am delighted to come along tonight to represent the store. We also have other projects from North Edinburgh who we are currently assisting with applications and these include PEP, Blackhall Primary School and Craigroyston Girls Football Club.”
Local woman Anne Murray won the best apron competition, and its clear she was a deserved winner as a lot of time and effort has clearly gone into her apron.
You can follow the Drylaw Cooking Group Blog by clicking here.
Drylaw launches Food Blog
Drylaw Cooking Group launched their new Blog last week and invited locals into the centre to watch cooking demonstrations, buy cakes, take part in a best apron competition and much more.
The evening was sponsored by Sainsbury’s at Craigleith and Shay Dean the stores PR Ambassador was on hand to assist with the launch night. Around 50 members of the community came along and the night was hailed a success by Elizabeth Graham, Project Worker at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, she said “Our cooking group has been meeting for around two years at the centre and we thought that a great way to spread the word of what we are doing and our recipes is with a Blog. Each week we will update the Blog with recipes and photos from that week and hope that other local people can try some of our recipes.”
Shay Dean from Sainsbury’s said “Our Community Grants Fund is made up of the money raised from the Bags for Life scheme. We granted an award to Drylaw of £150.00 for this Blog launch and I am delighted to come along tonight to represent the store. We also have other projects from North Edinburgh who we are currently assisting with applications and these include PEP, Blackhall Primary School and Craigroyston Girls Football Club.”
Local woman Anne Murray won the best apron competition, and its clear she was a deserved winner as a lot of time and effort has clearly gone into her apron.
You can follow the Drylaw Cooking Group Blog by clicking here.
Twenty's plenty for Drylaw residents
Easter Drylaw Residents Association (EDRA) launched their local road safety campaign at Drylaw Parish Church earlier this week. The group plans to raise awareness of speed limits in the area hopes to encourage drivers to act more responsibly.
EDRA chair Eileen Brash explained: “Parking and traffic matters are regularly discussed at our meetings, and the issue most frequently raised by residents concerns the speed many vehicles drive at within our area. In response we are launching an Awareness Campaign which will highlight the speed limit in this area – 20mph.”
She continued: “We are liaising with the police, councillors, local council staff and Ferryhill Primary School and we have applied for funding which would enable 20mph road markings to be installed at all entrances leading to and from Groathill Road North. We believe these measures will complement the 20mph signs already erected on Ferry Road and at the top and bottom of Groathill Road North, and make it clearer to motorists that they are travelling in a 20mph zone”.
EDRA will be raising the issue in a number of ways over the coming weeks – through schoolbag leaflet drops, posters, banners, flyers and a series of ‘awareness days’.
EDRA would be delighted to see more local residents getting involved to support the campaign. The group meets on the third Monday of the month from 7.30 – 9pm in Drylaw Parish Church; to find out more, or to discuss other issues of concern, why not attend their next meeting?
Twenty’s plenty for Drylaw residents
Easter Drylaw Residents Association (EDRA) launched their local road safety campaign at Drylaw Parish Church earlier this week. The group plans to raise awareness of speed limits in the area hopes to encourage drivers to act more responsibly.
EDRA chair Eileen Brash explained: “Parking and traffic matters are regularly discussed at our meetings, and the issue most frequently raised by residents concerns the speed many vehicles drive at within our area. In response we are launching an Awareness Campaign which will highlight the speed limit in this area – 20mph.”
She continued: “We are liaising with the police, councillors, local council staff and Ferryhill Primary School and we have applied for funding which would enable 20mph road markings to be installed at all entrances leading to and from Groathill Road North. We believe these measures will complement the 20mph signs already erected on Ferry Road and at the top and bottom of Groathill Road North, and make it clearer to motorists that they are travelling in a 20mph zone”.
EDRA will be raising the issue in a number of ways over the coming weeks – through schoolbag leaflet drops, posters, banners, flyers and a series of ‘awareness days’.
EDRA would be delighted to see more local residents getting involved to support the campaign. The group meets on the third Monday of the month from 7.30 – 9pm in Drylaw Parish Church; to find out more, or to discuss other issues of concern, why not attend their next meeting?
Twenty’s plenty for Drylaw residents
Easter Drylaw Residents Association is stepping up their campaign for safer streets by calling for drivers to be more aware of speed limits in the area. The group is concerned that inconsiderate motorists are ignoring 20mph speed limits in an area with a high population of older people and schoolchildren.
EDRA chair Eileen Brash said: “A number of our members have reported cars speeding on Easter Drylaw Drive – that’s a particular concern as there are often cars parked on both sides of the street and visibility can be restricted. There are similar problems across other parts of Drylaw too – some drivers either don’t see or just ignore the 20mph signs. We will be working with police and the council to see what we can do to tackle this issue before there is a serious accident”.