Police reinforce drugs warning following teenager death

Officers from Police Scotland are reinforcing a drugs warning following the death of an 18 year-old woman in Alexandria in the early hours of Tuesday morning (9 July).

An investigation is underway and our enquiries have so far revealed that the woman, along with three friends, had taken what they thought were ecstasy tablets. The tablets were described as green with a Rolex crown logo stamped on them. This is clearly a cause for concern.

Three men, aged 18, 21 and 25 have been admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The 18 year-old and 21 year old have since been discharged, however the 25 year old man remains within the hospital.

Superintendent Grahame Clarke said: “Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities. Public warnings have been issued recently in relation to the dangers of taking ecstasy, or indeed tablets being passed off as ecstasy. They are illegal and could contain a cocktail of toxic ingredients. We have yet to establish if this particular pill is to blame for the death of this young woman, but the fact that she and her friends took pills described as green and with a Rolex stamp on it causes us real concern.

“The exact contents of the pills are unknown but they could contain dangerous chemicals and users need to be aware of the dangers and understand the devastating effect they can have. Drugs are dangerous and illegal. I would strongly advise people to avoid any such pills or drugs and report any information to police.”

At this time of year there are numerous music festivals, including T in the Park which runs from Friday this week. We would urge people to enjoy the festivals and keep themselves safe. Possession of controlled drugs and supplying anyone else with drugs is illegal. Festivals organisers adopt a zero tolerance approach to illegal drugs and work alongside the police to tackle this criminal activity.

There will be drugs amnesty bins at the entrance to the campsites at T in the Park, where illegal substances can be disposed of without risk of exclusion or prosecution. Once inside the festival venue, drugs will not be tolerated and anyone caught dealing or carrying drugs will be arrested. Police Scotland’s specialist drugs dogs will also be operating at T in the Park.

Police Scotland is continuing work with its NHS partners in connection with this investigation.

Glasgow Royal Infirmary Senior Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine, Dr Richard Stevenson said: “We are deeply concerned about the number of drug related deaths. Symptoms to look for include a high temperature, aggression and muscle pains as well as an extreme exaggerated expected effect of the drug such as hallucinations and excitability which would be very alarming and unpleasant to the person experiencing them.

“These symptoms are treatable if help is sought early I would urge anyone who begins to feel unwell or feels a more intense high than usual after taking any drug which they think is ecstasy or not to seek immediate medical help.”

If anyone has any information about the sale or supply of such tablets, please contact police on the non emergency number, 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give information anonymously.

Corstorphine Hill murder: man to appear in Court today

Police Scotland have confirmed that a 39 year old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was was found on Corstorphine Hill on June 6.

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

The woman has been identified as 66 year old Phyllis Dunleavy of Dublin

(photograph from 2010 below).

‘Toxic’ drugs danger

Police Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are issuing a warning about the dangers of tablets being sold as ‘ecstasy’ which contain dangerous chemicals. Police are currently investigating a number of deaths which have occurred over the last two months where the victims appeared to have ingested what they thought was an ecstasy tablet but actually contained toxic stimulants.

An investigation is underway and our enquiries have so far revealed that the taking of what users thought was ‘ecstasy’ is a common denominator. Emergency doctors in Greater Glasgow and Clyde are joining police in issuing this warning following the rise in the number of drugs related deaths in young people.

Superintendent Alan Cunningham said: “This is clearly disturbing and we are currently carrying out extensive enquiries in relation to these incidents. Drugs are being sold as ecstasy tablets but they contain a cocktail of ingredients which have and can endanger life. These drugs are unstable, unpredictable and extremely dangerous and we want to highlight the very serious and potential harm which can be caused. In the build up to events such as T in the Park it’s crucial that the public is aware of the dangers of becoming involved in drug use. These very sad circumstances highlight the fact that often users don’t know what they’re taking.

“Of particular concern at the moment are green tablets with a Rolex crown logo stamped on them, some of these tablets have been found to contain dangerous toxic stimulant PMA. Previously we have warned of other tablets being sold as ecstasy which included the white tablet which has the Mitsubishi logo imprinted on it. This pill was found to contain the potentially dangerous chemicals, 5IT or AMT. We are also warning of a yellow tablet with a star logo imprinted on it containing a toxic stimulant, PMA.”

Glasgow Royal Infirmary Senior Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine, Dr Richard Stevenson said: “We are deeply concerned about this tragic increase in the number of drug related deaths. People are coming into A&E who have taken what they believe to be ecstasy but in some cases the drug is actually something else containing a highly toxic chemical formula which is proving lethal.”

All individuals in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area presented in hospital at a stage of toxicity which was too late for treatment. The majority of those who died were in their early 20s.

Dr Stevenson explained: “All the fatalities were due to symptoms which are treatable if help is sought early – sadly in these cases they all came into A&E too late. Symptoms include a high temperature, aggression and muscle pains as well as an extreme exaggerated expected effect of the drug such as hallucinations and excitability which would be very alarming and unpleasant to the person experiencing them. These symptoms are treatable if help is sought early I would urge anyone who begins to feel unwell or feels a more intense high than usual after taking any drug which they think is ecstasy or not to seek immediate medical help.”

If anyone has any information about the sale or supply of such tablets, please contact police on the non emergency number, 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Witness appeal, North Edinburgh

Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident in North Edinburgh.

Two 16-year-old girls were walking north along Telford Drive towards Granton at around 7.20pm on Friday (5 July) when a male approached them as they reached the bridge crossing Crewe Road North. The male engaged the girls in conversation before claiming they owed him money.

Both girls attempted to walk away from the suspect, who continued to follow them demanding money. The victims sought assistance from a young couple pushing a buggy and the male walked off along the walkway.

The suspect is described as white, between 20 and 40-years-old, tall and very skinny with a gaunt face. He was wearing a baseball cap, dark zip up, dark tracksuit bottoms and spoke with a local, but slurred accent.

A male has currently been detained and is assisting officers with their enquiries, but anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to come forward.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Neither girl knew this male and they were very distressed when he began following them, demanding money. We are keen to speak with anyone who was in or around Crewe Road North on Friday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious. In particular, we would like to trace the young couple the victims spoke to and would ask them to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Breakthrough: Corstorphine Hill victim identified

Police Scotland have confirmed that they have established the identity of the woman whose body was discovered on Corstorphine Hill on 6 June, but will not be in a position to name her until next of kin have been informed.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team said: “Identifying the victim was the first priority of this murder investigation and I would like to thank the public and the media for their help in achieving that aim. While this is positive news, it also means that a loved one has been lost. We are progressing our inquiries into the circumstances of this woman’s death and to finding those responsible for it.”

Crewe Road South fatality: man charged

Police have arrested and charged a man in connection with a fatal road collision that happened at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh last year.

Mary Dawson (81) died as a result of injuries she sustained in a collision with a Skoda Superb car outside the Anne Ferguson Building, around 4pm on December 4.

A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged, and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

Corstorphine Hill body: facial reconstruction released

Police Scotland detectives investigating the discovery of the dismembered body of a woman found in a shallow grave in Edinburgh have released a visual reconstruction of the woman’s face.

A member of the public came across the body within a wooded area of Corstorphine Hill on Thursday 6 June and a major police investigation has been launched to establish her identity, but despite an excellent response from the public to various appeals for information, the woman’s identity has yet to be established.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie from Police Scotland’s Major Investigations Team said:

“It is now 25 days since this woman’s body was discovered. In that time we have worked with a range of experts and agencies to help us get more information on who she might be and how she came to be in Edinburgh.

“Today, thanks to the work of facial reconstruction experts at Dundee University, we have released an image of the woman’s face. We are confident that this is a very accurate representation of how the woman looked and so I’m asking the public – does the image resemble someone you know but perhaps haven’t seen or heard from for some time? As I’ve said from the outset, this is someone’s daughter, she could be someone’s mother. Somebody knows who she is and when we’ve established her identity, we’ll have gone a long way to establishing who was responsible for her murder.”

The woman was believed to have been aged between 32 and 60 and had had extensive cosmetic work, in the form of veneers and implants, carried out on her teeth. She was white, slim, of medium build and about 5 feet 2 inches tall.

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or, alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Fresh appeal for missing student

Police Scotland Edinburgh Division is appealing for information in tracing a Russian student who has been missing from her address in the capital for over a week.

Yulia Solodyankina, (22), who has been studying Physics at Edinburgh University, was last seen at the Wee Red Bar in Lady Lawson Street on June 7 and was first reported missing last Wednesday (12 June).

Since her disappearance police have been carrying out extensive enquiries in order to trace her whereabouts, and continue to urge anyone with information to contact them. Her friends have also organised a social media campaign to track her down.

Yulia speaks fluent English with a strong Russian accent, and is described as being of medium build, with long dark brown hair. She is about 5ft 6ins tall, and has a small mole on her left cheek. Her ears are pierced and she wears a number of rings on her fingers, in particular a distinctive thumb ring, which is shaped like a small spoon.

When last seen Yulia was wearing a dark jacket, dark trousers, white trainers and carrying a large dark coloured rucksack which appeared to be full.

Chief Inspector Mark Patterson, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “It has been a week since Yulia was first reported missing, and despite our enquiries and appeals for information from the public, we still have no information as to her current whereabouts.

“Yulia’s father had travelled to Edinburgh to visit his daughter and help plan her graduation celebrations, but instead he is distraught by her disappearance, and has left the Capital without ever making contact with her.

“We have been heartened by the level of interest in her disappearance, helped by her friends organising their own appeals through social media, and we remain keen for any information that can help us trace her whereabouts.

“I would urge anyone who has seen or heard from Yulia since she went missing, or who has any other information that can help us, to contact Police Scotland on 101, or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Corstorphine Hill murder: do you recognise these rings?

Police Scotland detectives investigating the discovery of a woman’s remains on Corstorphine Hill in Edinburgh today released images of four rings belonging to the victim.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie said: “Responses to previous appeals for information on this woman’s identity have been encouraging. And while we are following up calls and information from all over the UK, we have still to make a real breakthrough in identifying the victim.

“As I have previously said, distinctive rings found with the woman may provide a real clue to her identity. Today we are now in a position to release images of those rings. Two are particularly distinctive – one in the shape of a daisy and one in the shape of a heart. Both are gold and are set with precious stones. I would ask anyone who recognises these rings or, who has seen someone they know wearing rings like these, to add that detail to the other things we know about the woman.”

All of the rings are old but are not thought to have significant value.

One of the items belonging to the victim is a traditional Irish claddagh ring, which police said is also popular within the travelling community – but police are not drawing any conclusions from this. The heart of the claddagh ring was facing towards the body, which traditionally means the wearer has a partner.

DCI Hardie added: “We are committed to identifying this woman. We have followed up more than 80 calls and, while we are extremely grateful for the information provided, we still await that real gateway call. We are keeping an open mind on this woman’s background and history. But I am determined to uncover the information that will enable us to identify the victim and then identify those responsible for her murder.”

Police Scotland have cast their net far and wide in their attempts to identify the victim – they have contacted Europol and have also discussed the murder with colleagues in Ireland. Ten days on from the discovery of the dismembered body, however, the woman’s identity remains a mystery and police still hope that members of the public may yet be able to assist with the investigation.

Chief Inspector Murray Dykes, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “High visibility patrols continue on Corstorphine Hill and the surrounding area and members of the public are encouraged to approach these officers if they have any information they want to bring to our attention.”

Corstorphine Hill murder inquiry update

Detectives investigating the murder of a middle-aged woman whose remains were found in an Edinburgh nature reserve are still looking for help to identify her, ten days after the woman’s dismembered body was discovered on Corstorphine Hill.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie, who is leading the inquiry, said: “I am really pleased with the response from the public and we have received a lot of useful information. However I am still awaiting that one elusive phone call which will provide the vital clue which will assist us to put a name to this woman.

“We are receiving calls and information from across the UK and it is all being assessed and followed up. However, as yet, we have not been given the crucial piece of information which will tell us who she is. “

The woman was believed to have been aged between 32 and 60 and had had extensive cosmetic work, in the form of veneers, carried out on her teeth. She was white, slim and of medium build and about 5ft 2ins tall.

Forensic examination of four rings belonging to the woman continues. Two of the rings stand out – one in the shape of a daisy and one in the shape of a love heart. Both are made of gold and are set with precious stones. It’s hoped that pictures of the distinctive rings worn by the victim will be made available on Monday.

DCI Hardie added: “I hope that a combination of the description of the woman, her rings and an appeal for any woman who has not been seen anytime in the past six months will strike a chord with people.”

The inquiry team has also received a lot of useful information about people seen on Corstorphine Hill with big rucksacks and carriers in which the dismembered remains may have been transported and implements which could be used for digging.

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