Almost 50 people have been arrested by officers from our new City Centre Policing Unit during their first month of operations.
From 1 to 31 July, a total of 49 individuals were arrested and 114 charges brought against them for a range of offences within the city centre during proactive patrols and reactive responses undertaken by the unit.
The CCPU officially launched on 2 July 2026, supported by funding from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Visitor Levy.
Over the last month over 2,300 hours of patrols by CCPU officers have taken place to engage with members of the public and businesses within the city-centre, respond to intelligence relating to criminal activity and provide a high-visibility presence to deter offending.
In addition to the arrests, two Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued for antisocial behaviour and a further 20 Recorded Police Warnings were handed out for incidents that did not require arrests to be made.
A total of 208 youth interactions were carried out to engage with young people visiting the city centre and build strong relationships with this demographic to help deter offences such as antisocial behaviour.
Extensive work has also been done to tackle street drinking in the Hunters Square area, with alcohol seized on 47 occasions.
Throughout August, CCPU officers will play a pivotal role in policing the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe to offer reassurance to the increased number of people within the city-centre and respond to any incidents that arise during this time.
Inspector Stephen Quinn, who leads the City Centre Policing Unit, said: “Our first month has been immensely challenging but extremely rewarding, as CCPU officers set about providing benefit to Edinburgh’s city centre.
“Extensive support from the CCPU was provided to staffing the cordons required to keep the public safe following the significant fire on Princes Street and this meant that resources that would previously have been required from other parts of the city were able to continue with their normal duties.
“Despite the demands of the fire, we have also been successful in tackling some of the key issues affecting the city-centre, including shop theft, antisocial behaviour and disorder.
“Working alongside key partners such as our colleagues at the Retail Crime Taskforce, Simon Community Scotland, Street Assist and representatives from the night-time economy, we continue to tackle hotspot areas and improve confidence in the policing response to ongoing problems.
“We’re under no illusion that more work needs to be done and we will continue to build on the success of our first month as we strive to make Edinburgh’s city-centre as safe as possible for all of those who live, work and visit the area.”
A man has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for the attempted murder of a woman in Leith.
Osarenkhoe Atutie, 26, previously pled guilty to the violent offence and was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow today – Wednesday, 5 August, 2026.
The incident happened during the morning of Tuesday, 11 November, 2025 in the Duke Street area of Leith.
Atutie approached the 30-year-old woman, who was known to him, and stabbed her repeatedly to her head and body with a knife.
Prior to emergency services arriving at the scene, members of the public helped the victim and also had apprehended Atutie nearby. They held on to him until officers arrived and arrested him at the scene.
The woman was taken to hospital and released following treatment.
Detective Sergeant Craig McMillan said: “This was a particularly harrowing incident, and my thoughts are with the victim and her family.
“I’d like to thank those members of the public who came to the victim’s aid during the ordeal. Without their intervention and assistance, there is a high chance that the victim would not have survived the attack.
“Tackling violence against women and girls is one of Police Scotland’s highest priorities and we continue to work with partners to achieve this.
“Violence in any form and the possession of weapons in any environment has no place in Scotland and is entirely unacceptable. Tackling the harmful effects of violent crime, which has a devastating impact on individuals, families and our communities, and supporting victims, remains a priority for our officers.”
POLICE are appealing for information following two assaults in Edinburgh.
Around 2.10am this morning (Saturday, 1 August, 2026), a man was assaulted on South Bridge near the junction with High Street. Enquiries to trace the victim, a man, are ongoing.
A short time later, the suspect continued further along South Bridge and assaulted another man, before walking towards Chambers Street. The man was taken to hospital for treatment.
The suspect is described as male, white, and between 30 and 40-years-old. He was wearing a green top, a dark-coloured gilet, white trainers, and a light-coloured baseball cap.
Detective Sergeant Steven Dick said: “Enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed either assault to contact us.
“We’d also ask the victim in the first assault to get in touch with us.
“Anyone with information, private CCTV or dash-cam footage which could assist our enquiries, is asked to come forward.
“Information can be given be calling Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0421 of 1 August, 2026. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for child sexual offences across Scotland.
Ross Jameson was sentenced today (Friday, 31 July, 2026) at the High Court in Edinburgh for indecently communicating and grooming eight girls, aged between nine and 15, throughout 2025.
He contacted the girls using a mobile phone app, and coerced them to take part in sexual acts and send indecent images and videos of themselves.
He pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 10 February, 2025.
Detective Constable Fergus Kelly said: “Jameson is a depraved individual who gave no thought to his victims, using them only for his sexual gratification.
“These girls were extremely vulnerable and Jameson groomed and abused them. I hope this sentence brings them and their families some comfort.
“I want to acknowledge the strength of all the girls who provided information to police in this case. Jameson’s conviction is down to them.
“Police Scotland takes all reports of sexual abuse seriously, regardless of the passage of time.
“We remain committed to supporting victims of sexual crime and protecting children from harm and abuse. We will use all available resources to find and arrest the abusers.
“I would urge anyone who is a victim of abuse to speak to police in the knowledge you will be listened to, taken seriously and fully supported.”
POLICE are seeking the assistance of the public in trying to locate a teenager missing from Edinburgh.
Sixteen-year-old Safdar Hanif was last seen around 4am on Saturday, 25 July, 2026 on Jamaica Mews, Edinburgh.
He is described as around 5ft 7 inches in height, with short dark hair. When last seen, he was wearing a grey and white Nike top and white Nike tracksuit trousers. He was also wearing a Doo Rag and carrying a black bag.
Officers have been checking any relevant CCTV images and continue to speak to his family and friends for any information on where he might have gone.
Sergeant Chris Biggs said: “Safdar’s family is understandably concerned and want to know he is safe and well. If anyone has seen Safdar or has any information on his whereabouts, please contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0803 of 24 July, 2026.
A 21-year-old man has been sentenced today, Monday, 27 July, 2026, to five years in prison for the rape of a teenage girl in Edinburgh in May last year.He was also given an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR).
Aaron Strachan pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, 4 December, 2025.
The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, 25 May, 2025 in the city centre.
The court previously heard how Strachan walked the girl at knife point from Princes Street to a basement on York Place, where he subjected her to a violent and terrifying attack.
He also pleaded guilty to an assault to severe injury which took place in the South Bridge area on the same date, as well as an assault to severe injury and endangerment of life which took place in the High Riggs area on Wednesday, 28 May, 2025.
Detective Inspector Gillian Wells, from Edinburgh’s Sex Offender Policing Unit, said: “This was a particularly harrowing attack which was carried out in the busy city centre area and had a profound effect on the young victim.
“I hope this sentence brings her some sense of closure.
“The other assaults also demonstrate what a violent individual Strachan is, with no consideration of the consequences of his actions.
“I would like to thank local officers for their excellent work which ensured Strachan was quickly identified and arrested.
“Police Scotland remains committed to tackling sexual crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us.
“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout.”
A huge thank you to the amazing young people from PYCP Youth Committee and the local Police Community Officers from Police Scotland Edinburgh for giving up their time to help clean up the basketball court at Ferry Road Drive.
This was our third community clean-up and once again the team worked incredibly hard to make a difference.
Sadly, we found large amounts of waste including beds, furniture, gas cylinders, general rubbish, and far too much dog fouling. While it’s disappointing to see it’s also a reminder of why these clean-ups are so important.
Our goal is to make this court a safe, welcoming space where young people can play, be active and enjoy their community. We also want to encourage local residents to take pride in and care for this valuable community asset.
We’re also in the process of setting up a local tenant working group so that ownership, upkeep and maintenance of the space can be shared across the community so If you’re interested in getting involved in future clean-ups, we’d love to hear from you, please get in touch with us.
POLICE are investigating complaints of serious sexual offending by an officer who died in May this year and appealing for victims to come forward.
Alan Greer, 47, was arrested on 24 April, 2026, after searches of a property in Wishaw. A number of electronic devices were seized during the search and enquiries into the contents of these are continuing.
On Wednesday, 6 May, 2026, officers were called to the same property where Mr Greer was found deceased. There were no suspicious circumstances.
The circumstances of the death following police contact are subject of a Crown-directed investigation by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
A significant investigation was launched at the end of 2025 after a complaint was received relating to a non-recent serious sexual assault being carried out by an unidentified officer.
Extensive enquiries were carried out by detectives from the Anti-Corruption Unit to identify the officer and Alan Greer was arrested.
Further investigations have identified a number of victims of serious sexual offending by Alan Greer, who are now being supported by specialist officers and partner agencies.
Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff, Professionalism and Assurance, said: “My thoughts, firstly, are with the victims in this case who have spoken up and reported these allegations, as well as with Alan Greer’s family, friends and colleagues who have been deeply affected by these reports and his death.
“The investigation into this matter is one of the largest and most complex enquiries ever undertaken by the Anti-Corruption Unit and significant work is ongoing to fully ascertain the extent of offending and identify and support as many victims as possible.
“Clearly Alan Greer cannot stand trial for these allegations of serious violent sexual offending, including attempted murder, but this investigation is about identifying and supporting potential victims, giving them a voice, and establishing the full circumstances.
“It is essential that members of the public, victims, and witnesses, feel confident speaking with the police and know the overwhelming majority of our officers serve with professionalism and integrity to protect people, investigate matters, and bring offenders to justice.
“I would encourage anyone with any information or who may be a victim in this case to please come forward and speak to us. You will be listened to and given the support you need.
“In recent years, and advanced by Lady Elish Angiolini’s review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issues published in 2020, there has been a Scotland-wide focus on police ethics, conduct and scrutiny.
“Police Scotland has fully engaged with a range of developments and our commitment to safeguarding policing’s integrity has never been stronger.”
Anyone with information or who thinks they may have been a victim in this case, is asked to please contact the enquiry team.
This can be done via email at OperationSubmarine@scotland.police.uk, or by telephone. A dedicated mobile number with text facility has been established – 07484 438 539. A landline for the enquiry team, with voicemail facility, is also available – 0300 426 6644.
To find out more about police complaints, including how to make a complaint, visit the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service, run by Crimestoppers.
Concerns relating to allegations of corruption or serious abuse can be reported to the service by calling 0800 085 00 00 or via the Crimestoppers website.
If you have a mental health need or thoughts of self-harm, help is available:
An 85-year-old woman has died after being struck by a car in Edinburgh.
The incident happened around 3.40pm on Monday, 20 July, 2026, outside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Little France Crescent and involved a red Peugeot 208 and two pedestrians.
The woman died in hospital during the morning of Thursday, 23 July, 2026.
An 88-year-old man remains in hospital for treatment to serious injuries.
No other injuries were reported.
Enquiries remain ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2205 of 20 July, 2026.
Police Scotland declares major incident as emergency services respond to wildfire near Nethy Bridge
Police Scotland has declared a major incident as emergency services continue to respond to the ongoing wildfire within the Cairngorms National Park.
The decision follows a significant change in weather conditions, with strengthening winds contributing to increased unpredictable fire behaviour and the spread of the wildfire towards Nethy Bridge.
As a precaution, all residents of Nethy Bridge are being evacuated to allow emergency services to continue their operational response safely and effectively. Residents are being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort and access roads into Nethy Bridge have been closed.
Superintendent Judy Hill, Police Scotland, said: “The weather conditions experienced within the Cairngorms over the last 24 hours have added further complexities to this situation. With evidence suggesting the fire is spreading towards Nethy Bridge, the decision has been taken to declare a major incident and evacuate residents as a precaution.
“Additional police resources are being deployed to assist in contacting those who need to leave their properties and to maintain cordons around restricted areas while our fire service colleagues continue to tackle the wildfire.
“We understand this is a very concerning time for residents, businesses and visitors to the Cairngorms region. Please be assured that the multi-agency response remains fully committed to bringing this incident to a safe conclusion as quickly as possible.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has maintained a significant operational response since the wildfire was first reported on Wednesday, 15 July.
More than 500 firefighters have been mobilised over the course of the incident, alongside specialist wildfire appliances, all-terrain vehicles, helicopter water-bombing operations and partner agencies.
Firefighters continue to work across a vast and challenging landscape alongside Forestry and Land Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, landowners, estate gamekeepers and emergency service partners.
Their expertise, local knowledge and support have been instrumental in helping crews respond to this complex and dynamic incident.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Kenny Barbour said: “Our firefighters, specialist resources and partners have worked tirelessly over the past nine days to respond to this challenging and complex wildfire incident.
“The combination of prolonged dry conditions, strengthening winds and challenging terrain has created an extremely complex operational environment. Large areas of the fire ground are inaccessible by vehicle or on foot, making helicopter water-bombing operations and specialist wildfire tactics essential to our response.
“Throughout this incident, partnership working has been fundamental. I would like to thank Forestry and Land Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, landowners, estate gamekeepers and our emergency service partners, whose expertise, local knowledge and continued support have been invaluable in helping us protect communities and the natural environment.
“More than 500 firefighters have been mobilised since the incident began, supported by specialist wildfire appliances, all-terrain vehicles, helicopters and partner agencies. We will continue to maintain a significant operational response for as long as it is required.
“We recognise this is an extremely worrying time for those affected, particularly residents who have been asked to leave their homes. Public safety remains our absolute priority, and we ask everyone to continue following the advice of Police Scotland and to stay away from the affected areas while firefighting operations remain ongoing.”
Members of the public should continue to avoid the affected areas within the Cairngorms National Park. The area remains unsafe due to active firefighting operations, rapidly changing fire conditions and helicopter activity.
The following areas remain closed or subject to access restrictions:
• Paths around Glenmore, Loch Morlich and Badaguish. • Low-level routes including the Old Logging Way and routes providing access to Cairngorm Mountain, the Northern Corries, Meall A’ Bhuachaille, the Green Loch (Lochan Uaine), Strath Nethy and Bynack More. • Paths within Abernethy Forest to the south of Forest Lodge towards Ryvoan Bothy. Residents are urged to follow all advice issued by Police Scotland and emergency services.
Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) met last night to discuss the evacuation of Nethy Bridge after Police Scotland declared the Cairngorms National Park wildfire a major incident.
The meeting was chaired by First Minister John Swinney and attended by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Police Scotland, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth, Justice Secretary Neil Gray and other Ministers and partners.
The First Minister said: “This is clearly a very serious situation and is a hugely concerning and anxious time for residents and businesses in Nethy Bridge, and my thoughts are with them.
“As a result of changes in wind conditions that intensified the pace of spread of the wildfire, Police Scotland declared a major incident requiring the evacuation of the village of Nethy Bridge as a precaution.
“SFRS resources are focussed on creating a fire break and additional police resources are being deployed to assist with the evacuation, including identifying vulnerable residents who may need extra support. Residents are being directed to a respite centre in Aviemore, where Highland Council can provide support and advice.
“I am extremely grateful to all the first responders who have been working hard to control this fire since it was first reported last Wednesday. I remain in continued contact with SFRS and partners and SGORR will convene again.
“This is a serious situation and I strongly urge people to continue to follow all advice from emergency services and transport authorities and continue to avoid the affected areas in the Cairngorms National Park.”
SATURDAY 25 JULY UPDATE
Resilience Room reconvenes to discuss ongoing incident
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) reconvened this morning at 7am to review the position on the Cairngorms National Park wildfire.
The meeting was chaired by First Minister John Swinney and attended by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Police Scotland, other partners, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth and Justice Secretary Neil Gray.
A precautionary evacuation of Nethy Bridge began on Friday 24 July 2026 after Police Scotland declared a major incident following changes in wind conditions that intensified the pace of spread of the wildfire.
A fire break around the village was established overnight, new fire breaks are being constructed and SFRS is deploying additional resources.
The First Minister said: “This continues to be a very serious situation. Residents, businesses and people staying in the affected areas will understandably be very worried. My thoughts are with them and I thank them for their understanding.
“With the fire changing to be in the direction of Nethy Bridge yesterday afternoon, a precautionary evacuation was put in place and a fire break was successfully established overnight to protect the village. Police officers visited all properties in Nethy Bridge and officers are in the village today to support residents.
“The wind has changed direction overnight, which means the track of the fire has altered once again and the threat to Nethy Bridge has reduced, for the moment at least. Ground and helicopter resources are being focused on the current path of the fire and new fire breaks constructed.
“This demonstrates how these situations can change very quickly and dramatically, reflecting the challenges being faced by SFRS and the other responders tackling this wildfire. It does not mean however that anyone should return to that area until they have been given the go-ahead to do so. Further decisions will be taken later today by the Local Resilience Partnership and the Scottish Government Resilience Room will also reconvene.
“I remain extremely grateful to the emergency services and all those involved who are working tirelessly to control this fire and support local residents. I reiterate the message that people in the area must follow the advice of emergency services and the Cairngorms National Park – it is essential people avoid the affected areas.”
