Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a 31-year-old woman was assaulted in the city centre.
The incident happened around 11.20pm on Sunday, 12 December, 2021, on Market Street directly underneath North Bridge outside Waverly rail station.
The woman sustained a serious head injury and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.
Officers are keen to speak to a man and a woman who were on the street at the time of the assault and then were seen on Jeffrey Street, going towards the Royal Mile.
The man is described as white, in his mid-30s, around 5ft 9ins, of medium build and with short dark hair. He was wearing a cream baseball cap, grey and blue padded jacket and a two tone blue hooded jumper, and blue jeans. He was carrying a plastic orange carrier bag.
The woman is described as white, also in her mid-30s, around 5ft 5ins, and of small build. She was wearing a knee length black padded jacket with the hood up and had small framed glasses.
Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe, from Edinburgh CID, said: “This part of the city was extremely busy at the time of the incident and we are appealing for anyone who was in the Market Street area and believes they may have seen what happened to come forward.
“If the man and woman see this appeal then please contact us. We are also keen to speak with any drivers in the area who may have dash-cam footage that could assist with our enquiries.
“Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident 3829 of Sunday, 12 December, 2021. Alternatively, you can call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
Are you planning to purchase an e-scooter this Christmas? Make sure you know the laws and implications beforehand – using an e-scooter in a public place in Scotland is ILLEGAL.
This includes roads, pavements, parks, town centres and promenades. E-scooters can only be used on privately owned spaces, with the land or property owner’s permission.
E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs). They are treated the same as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements, such as insurance, a valid driving licence and compliance with manufacturing and use requirements.
Superintendent Simon Bradshaw, Deputy Head of Road Policing, Police Scotland said: “We understand that e-scooters are a tempting option for Christmas presents this year. It is important however, to make it clear, these are not toys and they are illegal to use in public.
“If an e-scooter is on your Christmas wish list, make sure you know how and where to use them safely.”
POLICE are appealing for information after a 20-year-old man was assaulted in Edinburgh city centre on Saturday (11 December).
The incident happened around 10.10pm in Meuse Lane when the man was involved in a conversation with four men. He sustained a head injury and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh by ambulance.
The four men left in the direction of St Andrew Square. They are described as white, aged between 40 and 50-years-old and spoke with Scottish accents. Two were bald, one had short, dark hair and the other was wearing a dark coloured woollen hat.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are keen to trace the men described as we believe they can help with our investigation.
“If you can help please contact us on 101, quoting incident number 3747 of Saturday, 11 December, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Edinburgh Police Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council’s Christmas wish is to #KeepXmasSafe for young people whilst online & keep parents & carers more informed.
As 2021 draws to a close, big changes are on the horizon for North Edinburgh Arts. As part of the ongoing regeneration programme around MacMillan Square, development work at North Edinburgh Arts should begin in the next few weeks.
One of the last events before the planned makeover will be the Festive Community Event on Monday 13 December, kindly funded by Police Scotland.
North Edinburgh Arts will be host to many local community stalls on the day, so it’ll be a great opportunity to learn more about what’s going on in the local area, get together with other local residents and go away with a free goodie bag including some wonderful books to read this winter!
Whether you’re a regular user or occasional visitor to the North Edinburgh Arts space, you’re invited to say goodbye to the North Edinburgh Arts building. You can drop-in any time between 10am and 3pm when you can find out more about our temporary relocation while having a wander, a chat, a festive mince pie and hot drink.
To paraphrase the Christmas song “It’s the most vulnerable time of the year.” Cyber criminals don’t take a holiday, so your chances of being a victim of a cyber attack can increase.
Christmas holidays are a prime time for criminals to take advantage of. At this time of year, organisations will start to close and will be running with a heavily reduced staff count which can make organisations vulnerable.
Last Christmas Eve, Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s digital systems were held under attack. It knocked several of their key systems offline causing major disruption to their staff and made it difficult for them to do their work.
Does your current security strategy include a plan for cyber attacks during the holidays?
The benefits of having a business community plan are undeniable. When disaster strikes, getting business operations back up and running quickly is crucial. No business is immune to potential threats, no matter how big or small your organisation is.
Make sure you have taken all the necessary steps to secure your IT unfractured ahead of time. From protecting your website, safeguarding your customer details to training your staff it’s time to take a closer look at your organisation’s cyber security.
Take the time now to review your business continuity plan and know where you can seek advice and support should you need it.
Developing a plan
A Cyber Incident Response Plan is a set of instructions that are designed to help you prepare, detect, respond and recover from cyber incidents. Having a plan will outline the recovery process, so that everyone knows what is required of them during an incident. Each department in your organisation should understand the incident response procedure.
Our Cyber Incident Response Pack is an easy-to-follow guide to setting up a cyber incident response plan for your business. It has checklists, action plans, and template documents that you can use today. This will help you identify and prioritise your company’s most valuable assets and links to advice to help you keep them secure.
Regular back-ups
Ransomware has been a growing cyber security threat, and one which could affect any organisation that does not have appropriate defences. Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents you from accessing your computer (or the data that is stored on it). The computer itself may become locked, or the data on it might be stolen, deleted or encrypted.
You should perform a regular back-up of your systems and data, which will enable quick restoration of business functions. Importantly, having offline versions of your backups is your best defence, as you can wipe any encrypted devices and restore from your offline back up.
All sorts of electronic devices can hold personal or financial data so it’s important to make sure you secure these devices with strong passwords and update the software regularly.
Companies fix any weaknesses by releasing updates. You should always make sure to install the latest software updates to protect your devices from vulnerabilities. Take some time to review your security settings on all your devices and make sure you’re protected against the latest threats.
Small Business Guide
The NCSC’s Small Business Guide and Small Charity Guide includes simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your business from cyber security risks. Doing these steps will significantly increase your protection from the most common types of cyber crime.
By proactively addressing the cyber security in your organisation, you can enjoy the holidays knowing you have minimized any potential risks.
Who to contact for support
Organisations looking for support and advice can call the free Cyber Incident Response Helpline. This helpline can support organisations that have been a victim of an attack and provide expert guidance to get back to secure operations.
Call the helpline on: 01786 437 472
You can report cyber crime to Police Scotland by phoning 101
As 2021 draws to a close, big changes are on the horizon for North Edinburgh Arts. As part of the ongoing regeneration programme around MacMillan Square, development work at North Edinburgh Arts should begin in the next few weeks.
One of the last events in our building before the planned makeover will be the Festive Community Event on Monday 13 December, kindly funded by Police Scotland.
We’re host to lots of other local community stalls on the day, so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about what’s going on in the local area, get together with other local residents and go away with a free goodie bag too!
Whether you’re a regular user or occasional visitor to our community space, we’d like to invite you to say goodbye to the NEA building.
Drop-in any time between 10am and 3pm when you can find out more about our temporary relocation while having a wander, a chat, a festive mince pie and hot drink.
A man who was found fatally injured at Academy Park in Leith has been named as Douglas Forbes. The 78-year-old was discovered around 8.50pm on Thursday (2 December 2021).
Detective Inspector Jonny Wright from Gayfield CID said: “”We are still working to establish how Douglas came to sustain his injuries. We are trying to piece together his last movements, and believe he was in the city centre with friends, prior to being dropped off at Academy Park by a taxi.
“We would like anyone who was out with Douglas on Thursday 2 December, and for the taxi driver who dropped him off, to get in touch with us as soon as possible. This can be done by contacting 101, quoting incident number 3329 of 2 December 2021.”
POLICE UPDATE:
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Following the death of 78-year-old Douglas Forbes, at Academy Park in Edinburgh, on Thursday 2 December, Police Scotland can confirm a 69-year old man has been arrested in relation to driving offences.
“He’s been released pending further enquiries and the investigation continues.”
Police Scotland is advising the public to be vigilant after a recent telephone bank scam in East Lothian where a 57-year-old man was the victim of fraud, with losses of almost £58,000.
The man received a phone call from someone claiming to be from his bank, and told him that there had been fraudulent activity on his account. They asked him if he would be willing to help them, alongside Police Scotland in an internal investigation.
The fraudsters used the name of a legitimate bank employee, and used phone numbers that appeared to be genuinely from Police Scotland to persuade the man to transfer the funds.
Detective Constable Garry Mauran said: “This was a very sophisticated scam. The man genuinely thought he was assisting the bank and the police frauds department and made genuine efforts to check this was legitimate before taking action.
“I would like to remind the public, if fraud has been committed on your account, banks will never contact you direct and ask you to transfer money to another account. If they do – hang up immediately.
“You shouldn’t feel pressured into taking action and transferring money, a genuine caller will understand if you want to make the relevant checks. If anyone is in any way suspicious I would ask then to get in touch with their bank.”
If you have any concerns surrounding fraudulent activity, or feel you may have been scammed, please contact police on 101.
The Minister for Transport and Police Scotland have launched this year’s festive enforcement campaign to tackle drink and drug-driving, highlighting the criminal and personal consequences of being found guilty of driving under the influence.
The campaign is backed by 48-year old Niki Smith, who was paralysed in a road collision in 1997, when she accepted a lift from someone who – unknown to Niki – had been drinking.
Niki, from Aberdeenshire, has now shared her experience to remind drivers that drink-driving can have devastating consequences and urges anyone to think twice before getting behind the wheel – as even one drink is too many if you’re driving.
With Christmas parties returning this year, the festive enforcement campaign warns motorists of a zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug-driving.
In the last two months1 852 roadside drug tests have been carried out across Scotland, resulting in 395 positive tests. On average, specialist road officers encounter 40-50 motorists a week who have taken drugs. Drivers who provide a positive roadside drug test are arrested and taken to a police station where a blood sample is obtained and sent for further analysis. In the same time period, 600 drivers were arrested for drink driving related offences.
The campaign draws attention to the significant consequences – criminal as well as personal – of being found guilty of driving while under the influence of alcohol or with drugs in your system.
Minister for Transport Graeme Dey said: “The consequences of drink and drug-driving can be devastating and those found guilty of breaking the law could face a criminal record, a large fine, and up to six months in prison.
“Driving while under the influence puts not only the driver, but passengers and other road users at risk of serious injury, or even worse. Our message is clear, if you’re having a drink, leave the car at home and if you’re driving, the best approach is none.”
More than 20,000 drivers are stopped by the police in Scotland every month2 and Police Scotland’s enforcement campaign will see an even stronger focus on drink driving on Scotland’s roads from 1st December, so the chances of being caught are higher than ever.
https://youtu.be/XWa0cXppVHc
Chief Superintendent Louise Blakelock, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing said: “We want everyone to enjoy this festive season for all the right reasons and so we are urging motorists to help us keep the roads safe for all.
“We continue to see motorists put others at considerable risk by driving under the influence of alcohol or after taking drugs, despite repeated warnings about the dangers of drink or drug driving.
” As we approach the festive season, our officers will be focused on targeting drivers who recklessly put others at risk by driving after consuming alcohol or drugs. Driving under the influence reduces reaction times and continues to be a factor in serious and fatal collisions. The fact you could kill or injure yourself or another member of the public should be reason enough not to risk it.
“As well as roadside breath testing, officers can also test drivers at the roadside suspected of taking drugs, following limits being set in law in October 2019. There is a zero tolerance approach to drugs most commonly associated with illegal use, including cannabis, cocaine and heroin.
“I am urging drivers to plan ahead this festive season, think how you’re getting home after drinking and consider the impact alcohol can still have the morning after. Please don’t drink or take drugs and drive, it’s not worth the risk, do your part, and help keep our roads safe this festive season.”
Recalling the day of the collision, Niki Smith said: “It was a Friday evening and my sister and I were having a great night out. I enjoyed letting my hair down in between working as a carer and being a busy mum.
“We accepted a lift from someone we knew, although we had no idea he’d been drinking. It was a small decision that changed my life irreversibly.
“It must have been heart-breaking for my family and partner to be told I’d broken my neck and was paralysed. My sister, who was in the car with me, broke her collarbone and was later diagnosed with PTSD. I’m glad it was me, as I would have struggled to accept her having my injury.
“There has definitely been years of stress, physical pain and frustration for me and everybody involved in my life. I have now found ways to enjoy special moments and not just sit at home and dwell on the difficult times. I’ve had to become a more confident person so people see me and not just the wheelchair. If I hadn’t had my kids I don’t think I’d be the person I am today.
“Last summer I got involved with Spinal Injuries Scotland and became a peer support volunteer. Their peer support workers inspired me to come forward and share my story, and the friendship, humour and empathy I’ve found there has been brilliant.
“I hope that by sharing my own experience I can help raise awareness of the devastating consequences drink-driving can have on so many lives.
“I wouldn’t want anyone to go through the same as me and my family.”
For more information go to roadsafety.scot or the Road Safety Scotland Facebook and Twitter (@roadsafetyscot) pages.
