Tag: Police Scotland

Brave@Heart Awards 2025

First Minister commends acts of bravery

Nine emergency service workers and five members of the public have been presented with Brave@Heart awards by First Minister John Swinney.

Among those commended for acts of courage and bravery was an off duty firefighter who rescued two sailors on a boat which had crashed into rocks near St Andrews. Two police officers were recognised for calmly and decisively taking action against a man with a suspected firearm in West Lothian.

Another winner included a woman who saved two people from burning cars following a collision in the Scottish Borders, saving both their lives. Two children aged 11 and 9 in Aberdeen saved the life of their mother after she suffered a cardiac arrest – they called 999 and put their mum into the recovery position while following the advice of the emergency services call handler and seeking help from their neighbours.

During a ceremony at the First Minister’s official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh last night, John Swinney also presented five Brave@Heart award winners with St Andrew’s Awards in recognition of their exceptional bravery including Police Constable Aaron McCall & Police Sergeant Paul Griffiths, Nathan Foster, Damon Creevey and Ian Skinner.

Since 2010, the Brave@Heart Awards have recognised acts of bravery by staff of the blue-light services, voluntary sector rescue organisations and members of the public. The recipients each year are chosen by an independent validation panel.

First Minister John Swinney said: “One of my greatest privileges as First Minister is celebrating the remarkable people who make their communities and our society better. The Brave@Heart awards do just that as we honour extraordinary individuals who have changed lives, saved lives, and left a lasting impact on others.

“Everyone who has received an award has, in a moment that truly mattered, stepped forward with bravery and conviction. That is clear from the powerful stories shared by the validation panel, and even more so from hearing these experiences firsthand.

“With these awards, we shine a light on their courage, so that their stories can continue to inspire others. They remind us that bravery can come from anywhere, in any circumstance and that bravery can make all the difference.”

Brave@Heart Validation Panel Chair David Garbutt said: “As Chair of the First Minister’s Awards Validation Panel, I’ve been deeply honoured to hear the nominations from our emergency services about so many inspiring acts of courage and selflessness undertaken by citizens in Scotland, with ordinary people going far beyond the norm to help others.

“It’s been a truly humbling experience and a great privilege to be part of this process.”

SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE HAILS BRAVE@HEART AWARDEES

Two brave siblings who saved their mum’s life and three Scottish Ambulance Service staff have been recognised at this year’s Brave@Heart awards.

The awards celebrate acts of bravery in exceptional circumstances by blue-light services, voluntary rescue organisations and members of the public.

Youngsters Oliver Liddle and Arianna Liddle, along with SAS staff Ian Skinner, Colene Buchan and Jill Summers, all collected certificates on Tuesday (October 7) at a ceremony at Bute House, attended by the First Minister.

Oliver, 12, and Arianna, 11, of Aberdeen, provided immediate care to their mum after she had a cardiac arrest last year.

Arianna called 999 after finding Donna, who suffered a cardiac arrest, unresponsive on the floor while Oliver put her into the recovery position. After speaking to the call handler, several ambulance staff were dispatched with help arriving within six minutes.

Their award nomination said: “Without the prompt and brave action of Oliver and Arianna, Donna may not have been alive today. It was a stressful time, but Donna has made an amazing recovery.”

Iain Skinner, Advanced Paramedic based at Killin Ambulance Station, attended to a challenging incident involving a patient last year.

He was nominated by a fellow member of staff who said: “Through his quick thinking, physical intervention and bravery, Iain ensured the safety of all present and successfully managed the situation.”

Paramedics Jill Summers and Colene Buchan, both based at Fraserburgh, attended to a challenging situation involving a multi-agency response where they bravely descended an extremely high and unstable cliff to attend to a patient.

Their award nomination said: “They are a credit to the Scottish Ambulance Service and most importantly were brave, skilled and effective under extreme pressure.”

SAS Chief Executive Michael Dickson said: “The actions of all the Brave@Heart recipients are truly commendable, and they have each showed extraordinary bravery.

“They are all wonderful ambassadors for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I’d like also to commend the actions of Oliver and Arianna. Their quick-thinking saved their mum’s life.”

Annandale St. crash pensioner dies

POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION

An 81-year-old man has died following a crash on Annandale Street in Edinburgh at the junction with Haddington Place. The incident happened on Sunday, 28 September, around 1.20am, and involved the man and a bus.

He was taken to hospital by the Scottish Ambulance Service where he died on Saturday, 4 October. No one else was injured.

Sergeant Louise Birrell said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died and they have asked for privacy.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are asking anyone with information that could help who has not already spoken to officers to get in touch.”

Anyone who can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0302 of Sunday, 28 September, 2025.

Putting Safety First: Success at Young Driver Event

🚦 Young Driver Safety Event at The Corn Exchange 🎓

Over 3,000 pupils from 30 schools across the Capital are attended Young Driver 2025 this week.

The annual event is aimed at senior year secondary school pupils and explores the risks and responsibilities of becoming a new driver, through presentations and workshops delivered by the Council, Police and partner organisations.

The issues discussed include vehicle, pedestrian and passenger safety, laws on the road, travelling by and interacting with public transport, first aid and much more.

Young drivers are much more likely to be involved in collisions than older drivers. 17 to 25 year-olds make up 10% of licence holders, but over 20% of collisions.

Young Driver 2025 ran from September 29 = 2nd October.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “Young Driver 2025 is an incredibly important event to make sure the next generation of Edinburgh’s drivers have all the resources they need to form good habits as they get on the road.

I was delighted to attend, meeting with colleagues from the Council and partner organisations along with our young people. I was also struck by the strong breadth of useful and practical material being delivered across the four-day event.

“We remain committed to enhancing road safety across the Capital for all road users, with over £6m being invested in our Road Safety Delivery Plan this year alone.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has supported the event this year and made it such a great success.”

Inspector Kosmas Papakyriakou, Road Policing said: “Edinburgh Division is fully supportive of Young Driver 2025. It is excellent educational tool to assist young people to become careful, considerate, and safe drivers and road users.

“Keeping people safe on and around our roads is a priority for Police Scotland, our communities and our partners. By working together to make young people aware of the risks and impacts of dangerous road user behaviour, we can help reduce casualties in the future.”

Mairi Day, Partner at Digby Brown said: “In the last month in Scotland we have seen three teenagers die in a car crash, and in a separate incident a young man had been jailed for more than two years for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

“His actions resulted in one of his friends losing both his legs and two others being left with serious spinal injuries

“Every day at Digby Brown we see similar road traffic accidents but also how devastating they are.

“We help the people who are left with life changing injuries and supporting the families trying to come to terms with a sudden loss.

“But what makes these incidents more painful is many are avoidable.

“Driving is a life skill, and we need to talk to our young people about how to stay safe and give them the confidence to make good decisions while out on the road.

“This is why events like Edinburgh Young Drivers are so important.”

Since 2010 Digby Brown has been a main supporter of the Edinburgh Young Driver event bringing their expertise in personal injury law and supporting people affected by serious road traffic accidents.

This year sees the return of the mock court featuring a real case from the firm’s archives aiming to show young people the consequences of taking risks on the road.

Yousef (S6) from Currie Community High School said: “It was a fantastic experience with lots of fun activities and provided a valuable insight into the consequences of negligence on the road.

“With stations such as VR, simulators and mock court sessions, there was never a dull moment!”

Sam (S6) from Currie Community High School said: “The Young Driver’s event was a successful learning experience which I found incredibly insightful.

“We listened to a variety of useful talks and had the opportunity to visit stands from numerous professionals which helped me understand how to stay safe on the road.”

Organised by the Council, Young Driver 2025 was attended and supported by Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Brainkind, British Transport Police, Digby Brown, IAM, Lothian Buses, Police Scotland (Roads Policing, School Link Officers and Safety Camera Partnership), Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and Spinal Injuries Scotland.

Edinburgh Road Policing in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council, SFRS City of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, Lothian Buses, and many more partners delivered crucial safety lessons for future drivers.

Chief Inspector Kieran Dougal from the Preventions, Interventions and Partnership department said: “Police Scotland are pleased to be supporting the Young Driver Event again this year and to be working closely with our partners in a multi-agency approach to promote safe driving.

“This a great event aimed at providing road safety education.

“Road safety is a priority for Edinburgh Division and Police Scotland. This event helps young people with the awareness and skills needed to drive safely. Remember to drive safely and to the conditions – collisions have a wide impact.

As a priority, “Keeping people safe on and around our roads … we can help reduce casualties in the future.”

#YoungDrivers

#RoadSafety

#PoliceScotland

#Edinburgh

#SafeDriving

Police seek witnesses following serious crash on Annandale Street

POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a serious crash involving a bus and a pedestrian.

The incident happened on Sunday, 28 September, 2025, at around 1.20am on Annandale Street, at the junction with Haddington Place.

An 81-year-old male pedestrian was involved in a collision with a bus as it travelled down Annandale Street.

The man was taken to hospital by the Scottish Ambulance Service where he remains receiving treatment. There were no other reported injuries.

Sergeant Louise Birrell said: “This crash happened in the early hours of Sunday morning and despite the late time, I’m asking anyone who may have saw what happened to come forward.

“The pedestrian had travelled on foot from the top of Leith Walk and I’d ask anyone who may have seen him, or captured the incident on a dash-cam device, to check your systems and provide anything of relevance as soon as possible.”

Those with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 and quote incident number 0302 of 28 September, 2025.

Serious assault on West Granton Road: Do you know these men?

Police Scotland have released images of two men who may be able to assist an enquiry into a serious assault which took place on West Granton Road, at around 10.15pm on Saturday, 23 August, 2025.

The first man, pictured below, is described as white, aged 35 to 45-years-old with dark hair and beard. He was wearing a black Under Armour T-shirt and Adidas jogging bottoms.

The second man, pictured below, is described as white, aged 18 to 25 years-old, wearing glasses, a black hooded top with an Adidas Original logo and black jogging bottoms.

Detective Constable William Doughty, of Corstorphine CID said: “I would encourage these men or anyone who may recognises them to get in touch.”

Anyone who can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 3999 of 23 August 2025. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Gracemount assault: Four charged

POLICE are aware of a video on social media showing an attack on a teenage girl in the Gracemount area last Sunday, 28 September 2025.

Following investigation, four youths have now been charged in connection with the incident.

Police Scotland would like to reassure the public that violence will not be tolerated and any report to the police will be fully investigated.

Domestic Abuse: Tenth anniversary of Disclosure Scheme launch

POLICE Scotland: Today marks ten years the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) launched.

The scheme provides a formal way of sharing information about a partner’s abusive past, with a potential victim.

The Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) is a way to find information about whether a person has an abusive past. This information can be used to prevent someone from experiencing domestic abuse in the future.

You can make a DSDAS application if you:

  • think you might be at risk of domestic abuse
  • are worried someone you know might be at risk of domestic abuse

We’ll only make a disclosure after we’ve considered all factors. We’ll assess the threat carefully, and we’ll decide if we need to share information to prevent a person from experiencing domestic abuse.

We may also speak to other agencies to help us make sure a disclosure is the right option.

If you’re making the application on behalf of someone else, we cannot make the disclosure to you. We can only make a disclosure to the person who is at risk to support and help protect them.

The police will act immediately if they think you or someone else needs to be protected from harm.

How to apply:

There are a few ways to apply for a domestic abuse disclosure. You can:

https://orlo.uk/wwe2C DSDAS form

https://orlo.uk/CPBus

Human Trafficking: Man arrested in Marchmont raid

A 49-year-old man has been arrested and charged during a pro-active operation targeting those involved in human trafficking in Edinburgh.

A four-figure sum of cash was also seized during the search of a property in the Marchmont area and enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Superintendent Stevie Bertram said: “Today’s activity is part of an ongoing operation aimed at tackling those who exploit vulnerable members of our communities for their own personal gain.

“Human trafficking is despicable and our commitment to identifying those involved and bringing them to court is unwavering.

“I would urge anyone who has any knowledge about where it is happening or who may be involved to get in touch with Police Scotland on 101 or information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Man sentenced for sexual offences in Edinburgh and Aberdeen

On Thursday, 18 September, 2025, a 22-year-old man was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison for sexual offences at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Jack Reid was convicted on Tuesday, 12 August, 2025 of the offences which took place between 2017 and 2022 in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and involved a man, a woman and two children.

Detective Constable Sara Duncan said: “It’s difficult to comprehend the distress and suffering Reid caused those involved in this case. I hope today’s sentencing offers them some closure.

“He will now face the consequences of his actions in prison.

“If anyone is experiencing or has experienced any type of violence or sexual abuse, we have detectives dedicated to investigating such offences. Please report it and be assured you will be fully supported and listened to.”

Missing girl: Have you seen Pantica?

Officers are continuing to appeal for information to help trace a 12-year-old missing from Perth. Pantica Sali, also known as Garofita, was reported missing on Friday, 19 September, 2025 from the Victoria Street area.

It is understood she travelled to Edinburgh and was last seen in the city’s St James Quarter, around 1pm on Wednesday, 17 September, 2025.

She is described as being around 5ft 6in tall, of slim build, with long, dark hair.

When last seen, she was wearing a black dress, white trainers and hooped earrings. She was also carrying a supermarket carrier bag.

Inspector Jill Dolan said: “Concerns are growing for Pantica’s welfare as time passes and extensive enquiries to trace her are ongoing.

“We are speaking to relatives and friends, carrying out door to door enquiries and reviewing CCTV footage in our efforts to trace her and we continue to ask for the help of the public.

“I would appeal to anyone who has seen Pantica or who has any information on her whereabouts to contact us.

“Additionally, we would ask Pantica herself to get in touch to let us know she is safe.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 1182 of Friday, 19 September, 2025.