Police Scotland – Page 214 – The NEN

St Paul's smoulders as investigation begins

‘What we had feared and predicted has happened tonight’

St Paul’s lies a blackened ruin this morning following a major fire at the former RC church in Muirhouse last night. An investigation has been launched and an expert forensic team is expected on the scene at first light. The fire is being treated as ‘suspicious’.

Emergency services were alerted at 9.30pm last night and at one point seven fire engines were on the scene. Police also closed off a section of Pennywell Road as firefighters battled to control the blaze.

One Pennywell resident said: “I was making a cup of tea when I noticed there was a weird red glow in the sky. I was just going to ask my wife to have a look when she came through and told me that my son had been on the phone to say St Paul’s was on fire.”

A crowd of onlookers gathered and flames could be seen shooting high into the air through the roof of the church. It’s though the building will now be demolished for safety reasons.

It’s a tragic end for a building that’s been at the heart of the Muirhouse community since the 1960’s. St Paul’s closed in October despite a community campaign to keep the church alive, and the building was quickly put up for sale – described by the selling agents as a ‘Re-development Opportunity’.

The fire has come as no surprise to some members of the local community. George Reavley was one of organisers of the Save St Paul’s campaign. Speaking last night, he said: ” Over forty years of history and fond memories for local families has been desecrated in one night by mindless, thoughtless creatures.

“What we had feared and predicted has happened tonight. St Paul’s Church was torched and went up in a huge blaze. We told the Parish Priest NOT to board the church up when it was closed. He told the Archdiocese this as well but they went ahead and boarded it up anyway. It was always on the cards. This is what happens when you don’t heed local advice.”

Unfortunate accident or foul play? We’ll find out more once investigators get to work.

Police seek witnesses to South Queensferry accident

Police are seeking witnesses to an accident that resulted in the death of of a bin lorry driver in South Queensferry on Saturday afternoon. The 58-year old man died after being crushed by his own truck when he tried to stop it rolling out of a car park.

The man, who has been named as Maurice Willis, was pinned against a wall by his lorry which then hit a parked car and mounted a pavement before ploughing through a fence and coming to a stop on Hawes Pier. He later died in hospital.

Police Scotland’s Sgt Brian Smith said: “This tragic accident happened as the driver tried to stop his lorry from rolling out of the car park of the Hawes Inn.

“He was crushed against the wall by the lorry, which then hit a parked Jaguar car before rolling across the road and mounting the pavement. demolishing a bench and fencing before it came to rest hanging over the edge of the pier.

“Although this is a busy road, with a number of pedestrians in the area at the time, fortunately no-one else was injured. We are carrying out a full investigation and I am appealing for any witnesses who have not already spoken to us, to call Police Scotland on 101.”

Man hospitalised after nightclub assault

A man has been treated in hospital for a facial injury after being attacked in Frederick Street’s Suva nightclub. Police said the 28-year-old was standing at the side of the dance floor when a man struck him on the face with an “unknown object” at about 02:30 on Saturday.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and was later released. The suspect is described as white and in his 20s. He was wearing dark clothing and was last seen running from the club.

Det Con Douglas Mogg said: “The victim suffered a painful injury to his face and we are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry to trace the male responsible. Anyone who was in the club and witnessed the attack or who has information that can help us trace the suspect is urged to contact police immediately.”

Two men assaulted and robbed in Leith

Police are appealing for witnesses after two men were assaulted and robbed in Leith on Thursday evening. The incident happened at around 9.40pm in Breadalbane Street.

A 21-year-old and 19-year-old were sitting in a car waiting for a friend when three men approached the vehicle. Two of the suspects produced knives and threatened the pair, while the third suspect, who was in possession of a metal pole, searched the car for valuables.

Both victims were struck on the head with the pole during the robbery before the three men responsible made off. Fortunately neither required medical attention.

Police are urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

The suspects are all described as being white, 25-30-years-old, between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 9ins tall with slim builds and wearing dark hooded tops and dark trousers.

Detective Constable Graham McIlwraith said: “The victims were taken by surprise when the suspects approached their car and produced weapons before robbing them of their personal possessions. Thankfully, though, neither of them were injured and we are now conducting local enquiries to trace the men responsible.

“Anyone who was in or around Breadalbane Street on Thursday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately. We would also request that anyone who recognises the description of the suspects, or who has any further information relevant to this investigation, gets in touch as soon as possible.”

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

#StrongerNorth Latest update

Just time to add one more pre-upgrade post … information from local police as part of the #StrongerNorth initiative:

6 November report: Disturbances in the Forth area

Following several minor incidents of disorder in the Forth area of Edinburgh last night, a number of fireworks were thrown at Drylaw Police Station.

As a response, we deployed extra resources to the Drylaw and West Pilton areas, including two specialist support units. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also in attendance. After these resources were deployed, no further incidents occurred.

Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “Such behaviour will not be tolerated and further investigation is being carried out to identify those responsible.
We continue to place a strong focus on youth disorder and anti-social behaviour, and we in North Edinburgh are committed to tackling these issues in conjunction with our partners, through our Stronger North initiative, and we will take action whenever we receive a report of a crime.”

‪#‎StrongerNorth‬

#StrongerNorth: working together to make Pilton safer

#StrongerNorth initiaitive launched in WestPilton

Police Scotland, the city council and the local community have joined forces to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in North Edinburgh. Working together under the #StrongerNorth banner, they will work together to address community safety concerns across the area.

Last month, residents expressed anger at an apparent failure by local agencies to respond to concerns over antisocial behaviour in West Pilton. A public meeting followed the stabbing of a Chinese takeaway shop owner and residents demanded action to tackle gangs of ‘out of control’ youths. Last night’s meeting, again organised by West Pilton West Granton Community Council, was an opportunity for the authorities to respond.

Around twenty local residents attended the meeting in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, and heard that both police and the city council have poured extra resources into the area to address community concerns. The agencies are working closely together on a number of initiaitives to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and local residents were told that ‘West Pilton will remain a high priority for us as long as it needs to be’.

Local area Commander Sarah Buchanan acknowledged that communication with the local community was not as good as it should have been and told the meeting that this now being addressed. “We are very aware of your concerns and we are acting to address these”, she said. ” It is really important to share information about what we are doing at all sorts of different levels and we will continue to do this. #StrongerNorth will help to improve communications with the local community- we will endeavour to get out as much information about what we are doing as we can, as quickly as we can.”

North Neighbourhood Manager Peter Strong highlighted a number of ongoing initiatives and assured the meeting that community concerns are being taken seriously. “We recognise there is a crisis, and we are here to help. This is not just about the council, or the police. It’s about all of us working together to make this a good community to stay in.”

Concerns were raised again over punishments and ‘rewards’ – there is still a perception that the ‘bad’ kids get all the treats to encourage them to change their behaviour, while ‘good’ kids go without.

Senior Children & Families official Alistair Gaw outlined procedures for dealing with offending children, and said: “The Children’s Hearings have substantial powers, but we are dealing with very serious problems. A number of these young people have had hundreds of charges”.

Community councillor Willie Black called for the local community to rally round to to support – and lead – efforts to change the area. “It’s fight or flight”, he said. “We don’t want to see people leaving the area, we’ve got to fight to make our community a vibrant place that people want to come to. There are some truly great things happening all across this area and we’ve got to build on that.

“We’re here – it’s our patch and we need to get it sorted. We can build an area where everyone can feel welcome – an area everyone can be proud of.”

#StrongerNorth Leaflet Nov 14

Let’s make Bonfire Night the safest ever

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is appealing for the public’s help to ensure that 2014’s Bonfire Night is the safest ever for Scotland:

Bonfire Night is traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for the SFRS with the number of emergency calls typically seeing a 40% increase throughout the period. SFRS is up to four times busier on 5 November than any other night of the year.

From 2009 to 2012, the number of secondary fires, which includes bonfires and refuse fires, averaged 1118. In 2013 there was a significant drop in this number to 517 bonfires on November 5th, with an overall drop in secondary fires of around 40% compared to 2012. SFRS aims to maintain and improve upon this decline in calls for Bonfire Night 2014.

The Service is appealing to the public to stay safe this Bonfire Night by attending organised events rather than staging their own bonfires or fireworks displays.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Director of Prevention and Protection for the SFRS said: “This year we want Bonfire Night to be the safest one on record. I’d ask every member of the public who is thinking of holding their own bonfire or fireworks display to attend an organised event instead. These events are well organised, much more spectacular than a DIY display and most importantly it’s much safer for you, your family and friends.

“When our crews are called to attend bonfires it means we have to divert resources away from other emergencies and life threatening calls – that could end tragically for anyone who truly needs our urgent help.

“We want everyone to be able to celebrate on 5 November and have fun, but in a safe way that doesn’t require the intervention of the emergency services.

“In the run up to Bonfire Night 2014 our Service personnel will be going to schools across Scotland to teach children about the dangers associated with bonfires and fireworks.

“We can all play a part in making this time of year safer. It is against the law for fireworks to be sold to children and young people. If you are aware of this happening please report it to Police Scotland or Trading Standards. We would also encourage the public to report unsafe or dangerous bonfires or bonfire materials and any suspicions of deliberate fire setting. In doing this, we can keep our communities safer together.

“The public are requested to pass on any information about who may be responsible for fire setting to Police Scotland using the 101 non-emergency number or Scotland Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.”

Daren Mochrie, Director of Service Delivery at the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Every year our ambulance crews and hospital departments treat people for severe burns and other firework night related injuries. Fireworks are safe when used properly but the consequences can be tragic and life changing if the appropriate precautions are not followed and we recommend that people go along to a professionally organised display.

“In the event of someone suffering from a burn or scald, you should act quickly and:

Stop the burning process as soon as possible. Do not put yourself at risk!
Use cool water to cool a burn and reduce pain (no more than 30 mins of cooling and be aware of hypothermia due to prolonged cooling).
Remove clothing and jewellery but do not remove burnt clothing that has stuck to skin.
Do not use any creams or oils on injuries. Cover with a clean dressing or ideally cling film.

The majority of minor burns and scalds can be treated at home and if unsure you can contact NHS 24 on www.nhs24.com/SelfHelpGuide or phone 111 for further advice. If injuries are serious, seek urgent medical help and call 999 and ask for ambulance”.

Superintendent Danny Hatfield, Head of Prevention and Interventions, Police Scotland, said: “We want people to listen to safety advice and attend organised events so families can keep safe and enjoy the Bonfire celebrations. The best way of keeping safe is to attend official bonfire events which will also help reduce the number of unnecessary call outs for Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“We can all play a part in making this time of year safer while having fun. Remember it is against the law for fireworks to be sold to children and young people. Please help us keep people safe by reporting any concerns to Police Scotland by calling 101.”

SFRS have produced lots of guidance and safety tips about Bonfire Night 2014, available online now at http://bit.ly/SFRSbonfire2014.

Advice includes information about bonfire and fireworks safety (including a bonfire and fireworks safety leaflet available for download) along with links to our TV, radio and press advertisements.

SFRS will be offering tips on staying safe in the lead up to Bonfire Night through our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter.

West Pilton: tackling the scourge of antisocial behaviour

Brandin, a member of North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum, is concerned about the ongoing antisocial behavior in the area:

A gang of local youths have committed many crimes in North Edinburgh recently: they are an extreme danger to the public and themselves. The groups has at least twenty members and is based in Pilton.

The crimes they commit are inexcusable and disruptive to the community: their crimes include breach of the peace, vandalism and theft. Recently an attack on an innocent Chinese man has created massive fear in the North Edinburgh community.

A local shop in West Pilton is a meeting point for the gang. The shop owner does not want to be held responsible for them being outside his shop as the gang threaten anything that attempts to stop what they are doing.

Local people are keen for the police to start doing something about the gang but they are sometimes hindered by the law – police are not allowed to give chase to the troublesome youths as they tear up local green spaces and the streets due to the risk to the health and wellbeing to the riders, so the gang is able to run free, behaving like lunatics.

The police have caught many of the youths and many have dozens of charges on their criminal record. Many have been given ASBOs, but they just turn up again and never serve any jail time – which many locals think is appalling.

I spoke to an young lady who said that the group are a ‘joke’. She said the police are not doing enough as the group are extreme vandals who are are a big threat to the community. She added: “The young people have taken over the community and are committing needless crimes. The police have said that they don’t have the resources but it is not difficult to ask other police stations for the things they need. They have to do more – and fast – before things escalate.”

Local people are not happy with what the gang are doing and many feel the police are not doing enough to stop the gang. At a public meeting in West Pilton recently the public made their views clear to councillors and police representatives.

The community is now waiting for explanations – and hopes that something is done to tackle the problem in the near future.

Brandin, North Edinburgh Young Peoples Forum

Josh and Nikki of the NEYPF took these photographs in and around West Pilton Park last week:

However local police insist problems in West Pilton are being addressed. In a statement on Facebook last Friday, Edinburgh Police Division said:

‘In North Edinburgh we are continuing to tackle antisocial behaviour and disorder in the area. Additional officers have been brought in from other parts of the East Command area to assist local officers particularly in the Forth Ward. In the last two weeks alone:

– 45 people have been arrested or reported for a variety of offences including possession of drugs, offensive weapons, antisocial behaviour, hate crime and housebreaking.

– 14 people have been arrested on warrants issued by the Court.

– 8 stolen vehicles have been recovered in the area and returned to their rightful owners.

– Over 120 persons have been stopped and searched with 12 being found in possession of suspected controlled drugs.

– Road checks have resulted in 4 uninsured vehicles being seized and taken off the street and the drivers reported.

Local Area Commander Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan added: “Police Scotland are committed to tackling these issues in conjunction with our partners in both the short and long term in order to keep people safe and support the local community”.

Chinese man ‘serious’ following Pilton race hate attack

A Chinese father of three is being treated in hospital for serious injuries following a horrific attack by three men in West Pilton last night.

The victim suffered multiple injuries – including stab wounds – during the vicious attack which happened near the corner of West Pilton Grove and Park at around 9.30 last night. He has been named locally as Jie Yu, owner of the Peking Garden takeaway on Ferry Road Drive, and it’s thought he confronted to men as they attempted to steal his car.

One of the alleged attackers has since been detained and police say they are following a ‘positive line of enquiry’.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: “This was a vicious assault which left the victim in need of medical treatment and he remains in hospital in a serious condition.

“Hate crime is completely unacceptable and Police Scotland will relentlessly pursue those responsible.

“I would like to reassure the public that we have devoted significant resources to this enquiry to identify and apprehend those responsible”.

If you have any information call Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers in anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Masked men raid family home in Crewe Road South

Police are appealing for information following an armed robbery in Crewe Road South during the night. Four armed men wearing masks broke into a house just before 2am and attacked a terrified Chinese couple and their ten-year-old son. The raiders – who spoke with Scottish accents – escaped with a four-figure-sum of cash and jewellery.

Police are carrying out inquiries in the area and have increased high-visibility patrols in Craigleith.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston, who is leading the investigation, said: “The occupants of the house were awoken in the night to four masked intruders, who threatened them with a weapon and demanded cash. This was obviously a terrifying experience for them, and we are looking for any information to help us trace those responsible.

“I would be particularly keen to trace the drivers or occupants of any vehicles that were within the area at the time of the incident.

“We don’t have a clear description of the men as they were wearing masks, but they were all wearing dark clothing, and we are working to establish further details.”

If you have any information please call Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.