POLICE have released an image of a man who may be able to assist with an enquiry into an assault which took place in Edinburgh on Sunday, 4 June, 2023.The incident took place around 12.20am on Frederick Street.
The man is described as being white, 19-25 years of age, around 5ft 8in in height, with short dark hair shaved at the sides and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt with black writing, and black trainers with white soles.
Police Constable Jordan Cowie of Howdenhall Police Station said: “We are keen to speak to this man who may have information to assist with our enquiries. I would encourage him, or anyone who recognises him, to please contact us.”
Anyone who can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0360 of Sunday, 4th June, 2023, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
A trailblazing woman, who was Edinburgh’s first ever female police driver, was welcomed back to her old beat on Friday (29 September), 70-years on from beginning her career.
Mary d’Arcy Kincaid, 91, broke gender barriers when she applied to become a trained police driver in 1956, having seen an advert encouraging officers to apply.
The advert had been intended to attract male applicants, but as no gender had been stated, Mary applied and following discussion with the Chief Inspector, she was accepted onto the course.
Mary would then go on to be one of four women from Scotland to take up a 12-month secondment opportunity in Cyprus in 1957 where she would help with the recruitment and training of female Cypriot officers, work within the control room and assist with the searching of women stopped at roadblocks. During this time she was promoted to Sergeant.
Upon her return to Edinburgh in 1958, she went back to working in the Southside before joining CID in 1960. In 1961, she was one of two women and four men selected to form the city’s Crime Team.
After leaving policing, Mary would later serve as a Magistrate in Westminster and now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband of 53 years.
Speaking of her time in uniform, Mary said: “I was so excited when I sat my entrance exams and passed, and so began my City of Edinburgh Police journey. When the memo circulated inviting applications for police drivers, I thought, why not – after all, they had not specified male or female Constables, so took my chance.
“I loved driving, and knew I could do it well, as part of my role. Despite some reluctance from some colleagues, I couldn’t believe it when I was invited to go for my driver training.
“I passed with flying colours, and so my driving as a Police Constable began. This really meant that I no longer needed a male Police Constable to drive me to a job, take a bus, or walk – I could drive one of the many CID vehicles.”
Senior officers, including Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond, were in attendance at St Leonards Police Station to greet Mary and her family before taking her on a tour of her former beat.
Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond paid tribute to the former officer for leading change for women in policing.
ACC Bond said: “Welcoming Mary and listening to her experiences and perspective was a real pleasure.
“Much has changed to improve the representation of women in all ranks and roles in policing over the course of the last few decades thanks to inspirational figures like Mary, quite literally, driving progress.
“Police Scotland is absolutely determined to continue to build on the progress led by trailblazers like Mary, to address sexism and discrimination in policing and across society and improve experiences for our officers and staff and the people who we serve,”
Almost one week on from when he was last seen, police continue to appeal for information to trace 70-year-old Martin Sinnett who is missing from Edinburgh.
Officers are checking a possible sighting in Musselburgh in the High Street and Harbour area.
There is also a confirmed sighting of Martin around 6.35am on Tuesday, 26 September outside the motorbike training centre on Seafield Road, Edinburgh.
At that time, he was wearing a wide-brimmed hat. He was also wearing a distinctive kilt jacket, blue jeans and black trainers with white soles. Officers have released a CCTV image.
Inspector Mike Smith said: “We are extremely concerned for Martin’s wellbeing and just want to know he is safe and well.
“I would ask residents in these areas to check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings in case Martin has sought shelter. If anyone has seen Martin or has any information on his whereabouts, please contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 0708 of 26 September
More than 11,500 disclosures have been made to tell people their partner has an abusive past, since Police Scotland launched a scheme eight years ago to help tackle domestic abuse.
The Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse in Scotland (DSDAS) launched on 1st October 2015, has received over 20,000 requests for information.
Of the 20,005 requests, 11,599 disclosures (58 per cent) have been made to tell people their current partner has a violent or abusive past.
‘a thousand words’ commissioned by Scottish Womens Aid and Zero Tolerance. Copyright Laura Dodsworth
Detective Superintendent Gillian Faulds, Police Scotland’s Head of Domestic Abuse, said: “Abusers manipulate and control their victims.
“Abuse can be gradual and it can be very difficult for victims of domestic abuse to recognise their situation and to then take action to end their relationship.
“The Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland helps someone at risk of abuse consider their circumstances and make an informed choice about the future of that relationship.”
The scheme operates two pathways, the right to ask and the power to tell.
Under the Right to Ask, people who think their partner may have an abusive past, or their family and friends have concerns, are able to submit an application. Where lawful, proportionate and necessary, a disclosure can be made to the person at risk.
Under the Power to Tell, professionals including the police and partner agencies can apply for a disclosure to be made where they have reason to believe a person could be at risk of domestic abuse.
Detective Superintendent Faulds added: “If you’re a family member, a friend, a work colleague or even a neighbour and you think that someone you know is potentially at risk of harm from their current partner then you can make an application.
“Those at risk from domestic abuse who are told about a partner’s abusive past can then choose the course of action they wish to take, whether to end the relationship or continue it. Officers will always signpost those at risk to support and advice offered by our partners.
“All it takes is one person to alert us and we can help end the threat and harm caused by domestic abuse.”
Submitting a DSDAS application can be done online on the Police Scotland website, by calling 101, speaking to an officer or attending at a police station. Applications are processed within 45 days or sooner.
Police Scotland have released images of a man they believe may be able to assist their enquires into an incident which occurred on a Stagecoach bus between Dunfermline and Edinburgh on Wednesday 12 October 2022 at approximately 4.20pm.
The man was travelling on the Stagecoach X55 bus having boarded the bus at Dunfermline bus station.
He is described as white, aged between 25 and 40, dark facial hair, wearing a dark hooded top, striped tracksuit bottoms and carrying a holdall type bag.
Police Scotland are appealing for the man pictured, or anyone who knows him to get in touch via 101 quoting incident reference number 2550 of 12 October 2022. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be passed anonymously.
A man has been jailed for four years and three months after being convicted of a sexual offence in Edinburgh.
Antonio Pollio, 24, pleaded guilty to the offence involving a young female at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, 21 August, 2023. He was sentenced at the same court yesterday (Thursday, 28 September).
Detective Inspector Mhairi Cooper said: “Antonio Pollio is a dangerous man who manipulated and coerced a young female. He will now face the consequences of his actions.
“We treat all reports of sexual crime seriously and I would urge anyone who has been a victim to come forward, no matter how much time has passed, and report it to police.
“Be assured, we will fully investigate and you will be supported by police and our partner agencies.”
Police Scotland has provided an update on urgent action to maintain effective policing within the funding available to the organisation.
Hard choices are being taken to deliver effective policing within the funding available and action is being taken to achieve savings, with areas which encounter the greatest demand, and which carry the greatest risk in keeping people safe, being prioritised for resources.
Deputy Chief Constable Designate Fiona Taylor QPM provided an overview of work to prioritise resources, to keep people safe and protect the vulnerable during a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority Board in Glasgow yesterday (Thursday, 28 September).
DCC Taylor said: “As we have consistently highlighted over a period of months, hard choices are being taken to deliver effective policing within the funding available and action is being taken to achieve savings, co-ordinated through the Policing Our Communities programme.
“As I outlined during last month’s Board meeting, we have paused all police support staff recruitment, except for some business-critical areas such as our contact centres and custody suites. We are also reviewing our senior officer command structures and support services.
“The police estate is also an area where efficiencies and improvements to buildings in the wrong place or in poor condition can deliver savings and further, necessary cost reduction is planned in relation to police buildings.
“We shared our outline proposals to accelerate disposal of a further 30 police buildings with the Scottish Police Resources Committee last week and we are now developing detailed plans for that work.
“We understand and we are sensitive to community concerns around closing police buildings, but it is important to underline that, as we consolidate our estate, we now have over 60 co-locations with partners, providing more sustainable, more modern, and safer workspaces for our people.
DCC Taylor added: “Of necessity, as part of our commitment to delivering a balanced budget we are closely assessing the officer recruitment profile for the remainder of 2023-24.”
DCC Taylor underlined that Police Scotland would continue to communicate the decisions being taken to maintain effective policing within the funding available.
Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, provided a joint submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee as part of the pre-budget scrutiny process. This submission contains some estimates of police officer and staff numbers should future budgets be flat cash.
Police Scotland returns more than £200m to the public purse every year compared to legacy arrangements.
The Scottish Government’s budget for 2023-24 confirmed an £80m core funding uplift for policing, with £37m required to fund the ongoing cost of the 2022-23 pay award, leaving £43m to fund unavoidable pay and other inflationary costs for the current financial year.
Watch and listen to DCC Taylor’s update here from 31 mins and 20 seconds.
Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian which occurred on Horse Wynd yesterday morning (Tuesday, 26 September, 2023).
Emergency services responded to the incident around 10.40 am, and the 66-year-old female pedestrian was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where medical staff describe her condition as critical.
The 20-year-old male cyclist was also taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to be checked over and later discharged.
Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision and I am appealing for anyone who witnessed what happened to get in touch.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1037 of Tuesday, 27 September, 2023.”
Police Scotland in partnership with Stop It Now! Scotland has launched a new campaign targeting sexual perpetrators who groom and abuse children online.
The #GetHelpOrGetCaught campaign targets men who are either already offending or at risk of offending and directs them to support to help them stop.
Reports of online child abuse continue to increase, with nearly 2,000 crimes recorded by Police Scotland between 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023.
During this same period, Police Scotland carried out 700 investigations resulting in 500 arrests, and 800 children were protected.
And so far this year, (1 April and 31 August), specialist officers have investigated 290 online child sexual abuse cases resulting in 149 arrests and 269 children protected.
Featuring a film produced by the charity Stop It Now! Scotland, the campaign highlights the consequences of offending for perpetrators and urges them to stop and seek help by contacting Stop It Now! Scotland.
Launching the campaign, Detective Chief Superintendent Martin MacLean from Police Scotland, said: “Tackling online child abuse remains a key priority for Police Scotland, and this includes working with partners to prevent abuse and divert potential perpetrators from committing offences.
“Online child sexual abuse is not virtual; its repercussions are real, for the victims of these horrific crimes, but also for perpetrators. Grooming, indecent communication and causing children to participate in sexual activity, are all serious criminal offences.
“We continue to build our cyber capability and expertise to identify child victims. Offenders need to understand they will be identified, arrested and will face the consequences of their actions: not just a conviction but the potential loss of family, reputation and livelihood.
“Abusers are responsible for their actions, it is up to them to take action and stop, to get help or get caught.”
Police Scotland consulted with Stop It Now! Scotland on the campaign.
Stuart Allardyce, Director of Stop It Now, Scotland, said: “There is help to stop. It is easier for people to successfully change their behaviour through support than trying to change on their own.
People who are worried about their sexual behaviour online can call us on our helpline. They can remain completely anonymous. We provide non-judgemental, confidential support to help someone stop their behaviour and keep children safe online.
“From the many people we work with and our research, we know that their frequent use, over long periods of time, of online legal pornography escalated to barely legal or extreme types of pornography and the viewing of illegal sexual images of children.
“Some of the people we work with discuss becoming more desensitised to adult pornography as time went on. Often, they feel trapped in a cycle of behaviour and require help with their mental health as well as their compulsive behaviours to take positive actions to break this cycle.
“If this is happening for you, don’t leave it until it’s too late to call. Many individuals who are arrested for this type of offence tell us they wish they had known there was support to help.
“We also work with families and friends impacted by the arrest of a loved one for viewing illegal images or engaging in illegal conversations online.
“From our experience, we know the devastation that can ensue once someone is arrested and the number of lives that can be changed forever.”
Projects providing practical help to support people tackle the growing risks posed by online crime will share a £500,000 fund aimed at ensuring a digitally secure and resilient Scotland.
Organisations including Scottish Union Learning and Community Enterprise, will use the money to provide workshops aimed at tackling scams and internet safety, deliver training to upskill under-represented groups into careers within cyber security and provide digital advice in different languages.
The projects will be targeted at specific groups, including disabled people and those with specific learning needs, minority ethnic groups, people living in areas of social deprivation or in rural or remote communities and those for whom English is not their first language.
Since 2019- 20 cyber crimes (crimes committed using the internet) have risen with an estimated 14,890 cyber-crimes recorded by Police Scotland in in 2022-23 almost twice the level in 2019-20 (7,710). This £500,000 fund is part of £1.16 million invested by the Scottish Government in 2023-24 to improve preparedness to withstand, defend against, manage, and recover quickly from cyber incidents.
Justice and Home Affairs Secretary Angela Constance said: “Cybercrime such as fraud and data theft can have a devastating impact on people, communities and businesses.
“The Scottish Government is committed to building cyber resilience within all our communities and this funding will enable many more people across the country keep themselves safe and secure when going online by supporting them to gain practical knowledge and skills to recognise and avoid cyber-attacks.
“We will also continue to work closely with Police Scotland and the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure Scotland’s public sector is resilient to cyber threats.“
