Police Scotland – Page 223 – The NEN

Police seek help over Corstorphine Hill murder

Detectives investigating the discovery of human remains on Corstorphine Hill in Edinburgh are appealing for help from the public in identifying the female victim. A member of the public reported finding part of the body last Thursday when cycling on Corstorphine Hill.

Since then a detailed and careful excavation of the site has been undertaken by forensic experts and a post mortem was carried out on Tuesday (11 June).

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie of the Specialist Crime Division’s Major Investigation Team said: “The victim’s body had been dismembered before it was buried on Corstorphine Hill. We believed this may have been within a time frame of a matter of a few weeks but possibly as much as six months. This is a murder investigation and our immediate focus is on identifying this woman, and establishing the circumstances around her death. We need the public’s support to achieve this.

“This is someone’s daughter, it may be someone’s mother and I am appealing today to the public to consider if there is a mother, a daughter or a friend you have not seen or heard from for the past few weeks or months, and the person fits the following description I would urge you to contact us now.

“We know the lady was white, middle aged, slim and of medium build and short in height.. She has had significant cosmetic work on her teeth. We have also recovered a number of rings and two of these are distinctive, both are gold in appearance with one in the design of a daisy and the other is heart shaped. I feel confident that someone will recognise the description of the lady’s teeth and the rings, together with the general description of a slim middle aged lady who has disappeared.”

Mr Hardie is also convinced that the body was dismembered elsewhere and later taken to Corstorphine Hill. He is asking people who use this popular nature reserve to consider if they may have seen anyone who, on reflection, could have been involved in depositing the body in the area.

“Can you recall, anytime since the end of last year, seeing a person or individuals on the hill with particularly large rucksacks/backpacks or carrying tools, If so, please get in touch with us.”

Chief Inspector Murray Dykes, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “This is a distressing case but I want to reassure people that it is also a very unusual one. Corstorphine Hill is very popular, well used and a safe place to walk, cycle and enjoy some leisure time. While there are very few reports of crime relating to that area, I have had high visibility patrols in place since Thursday to provide reassurance and these will continue for the time being. These officers will be engaging with members of the public and people can pass on information through them if they wish or at the Police Command vehicle which is currently situated on Balgreen Road.”

Alcohol taskforce targets illegal sales

Almost 5,700 litres of beer, wine and spirits have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as alcohol taskforce officers targeted illegal sales across Scotland last Thursday (9 May). HMRC officers visited 49 retail sites across Edinburgh, checking the details of alcohol on sale.

The operation, supported by staff from Edinburgh Council Trading Standards and Environmental Health and Police Scotland, is targeting the alcohol supply chain, including producers, storage facilities, wholesalers and retailers.

Chris Brett, HMRC’s Alcohol Taskforce manager in Scotland, said: “Anyone handling or selling smuggled alcohol should be aware that HMRC teams are active across Scotland. We are committed to stopping this criminal activity which costs the taxpayer around £1.2 billion in unpaid revenue each year.

“The Edinburgh operation is not a one-off exercise and is part of ongoing work with our partner agencies to combat this crime. We are also keen to work closely with and support local businesses that have to compete against these illegal sales. If you are aware of someone who is evading their taxes you can call HMRC’s Tax Evasion Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

Community Safety Leader, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “The illegal trade of products like alcohol can be used to fund crime and can have a highly detrimental effect on the city’s honest retailers and on people’s health. I am very pleased that this initiative has been so successful and I think the amount of products seized demonstrates the need to be vigilant. We will continue to work closely with the HMRC to ensure that consumers and legitimate traders are protected from the impact of this illegal activity.”

Taskforces are specialist teams that undertake intensive bursts of activity in specific high risk trade sectors and locations in the UK. The teams visit traders to examine their records and carry out other investigations. The alcohol taskforce in Scotland is expected to bring in around £4 million. HMRC and the other agencies involved will now consider further action against offenders, including full tax and VAT investigations and a review of alcohol and other trading licenses.

Next of kin appeal

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information to help trace relatives of a man who died in hospital earlier this week.

Gregory McEwan (53), passed away at the Western General Hospital on Tuesday (May 7). There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

It is thought that he has a daughter called Yvonne McQueen, who may stay in the Muirhouse area. He also has another daughter called Tammie McEwan, but her possible whereabouts are unknown.

Police are appealing to anyone who has any information that can assist them in tracing any relatives of Gregory McEwan to contact Police Scotland on 101.

Police seek gang of thugs after Crewe Path mugging

Police are seeking a gang of teenage muggers following an attack on a middle aged man in the Crewe Road area on Sunday morning. The victim was kicked in the head and body as he lay helpless on the ground before the thugs stole his wallet.

The 52-year-old victim was walking in Crewe Path, which links Crewe Road West to Crewe Road North, at around 11.15am on Sunday when he was approached by four male youths. As the man passed the group he was punched in the face. This knocked him to the ground and he was then subject to further attack, with the youths kicking the defenceless man in the head and body.

Following the assault and robbery the gan fled back along Crewe Path to Crewe Road North.

The suspects are all described as white and between 15 and 18-years-old. One is described as being around 5ft 11in tall, with a slim build, and wearing a grey top, while the others are described as being around 5ft 8in tall.

Detective Constable Rachel Robertson said: “While the victim did not suffer any serious injury, he was left extremely shaken as a result of his ordeal, and we are appealing for any information that can assist us in tracing those responsible. Anyone who witnessed the assault, or who was in the area at the time and may have noticed four male youths together, should contact police. If you have any inormation that can assist our enquiries in any way please get in touch.”

City hails success of crime crackdown

Police in Edinburgh have hailed the success of an operation targeting drug dealers and serious and organised criminals in the Capital. Operation Amend has resulted in the arrests of 25 people, along with the seizure of around £300,000 worth of drugs and almost £250,000 in cash.

The seizures included quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, as well as a cannabis cultivation. Over £200,000 in cash was recovered from one address in Musselburgh alone.

Police Scotland’s Detective Superintendent Gareth Blair said: “There is no doubt that Operation Amend has struck a serious blow against drug dealers and serious and organised criminals operating in Edinburgh. We have arrested and charged a number of individuals with alleged drugs offences, and removed a significant quantity of drugs from the streets of the Capital.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe, and we will relentlessly pursue all those who we suspect of involvement in drug dealing and serious and organised crime. At the same time we will continue to work closely with our community partners in order to make our communities safer and secure.

“We would ask the public to play their part by providing us with information on drug dealers and serious and organised criminals operating in their community. Anyone with any information should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report though Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “While honest, hard-working members of the public struggle in these challenging financial times, it is galling and distressing to see drug dealers and those involved in serious organised crime flouting their ill-gotten wealth.

“It is thanks to vital information supplied by the public and the hard work of police that serious and organised criminals across Scotland are being identified and brought to justice. Ultimately, it shows that the combined efforts of communities, police, and enforcement agencies all contributes to making Scotland a safer and stronger place to live.”

Councillor Cammy Day, Community Safety Leader, said: “I am very pleased that Operation Amend has been such a success and believe this demonstrates how strengthening community links with the police can make our neighbourhoods safer. It sends a clear signal that drug-related crime will not be tolerated and I would like to thank all members of the community for their support of this very worthwhile initiative.”

Professor Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said: “We continue to work closely with Police Scotland, health services and other agencies throughout Lothian by providing a broad range of services to help and support individuals to address the causes and consequences of problematic drug use.”

£3000 bike theft in Newhaven Road

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a high-value mountain bike. The crime happened around 4.30am on Monday (16 April) at an address in Newhaven Road, when a property was broken into and the 36-gear ISSAC hard tail bike worth £3,000 was stolen from inside.

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

The bike is described as black, with an 18-inch frame, DT Swiss 240 silver-rimmed wheels, white forks, Continental mud tyres, Shimano XTR break discs, Bon Trager carbon stem and a triple Physic Gobbie saddle.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Given the time at which this incident occurred, a number of residents in Newhaven Road may have been awoken by sounds of a disturbance, as those responsible gained entry to the property. Similarly, members of the public who were up and out in the area in the early hours of Monday morning may also have seen something suspicious and are asked to contact police immediately if they have information that can assist officers with their investigation.”

Police probe vicious assault

Police are investigating after a man in his 30s was the victim of an assault by a group in Wardieburn Place West at around 20:20 tonight

Its understood the male suffered face and head injures and was taken by ambulance to ERI.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said “Police were called to Wardieburn at around 20:20 after reports of a male being assaulted. He was taken by ambulance to ERI and we would ask anyone with information to get in touch with us on the non emergency number 101”

Neigh need for police cars!

Drylaw Police Station to close as Police Scotland opts for horse power

The chief of Scotland’s new national police force has vowed to wrong foot the country’s criminal fraternity – by replacing cars with horses! And Drylaw Police Station looks set to become a stable block under radical new plans.

Chief Constable Stephen House (pictured below) has ‘taken the reins’ at Police Scotland, which today officially replaces Scotland’s eight regional police forces. The new boss has promised to seek new ways to crack down on crime, and in a controversial move one of the first things he will do is replace hundreds of police cars, vans and motorcycles with … horses!

“It’s true”, he confirmed. “Police Scotland, like every other organisation in the country, faces financial challenges and we must look at our costs and try to make economies. We have inherited a large fleet of vehicles which are expensive to run and maintain, and are also very bad for the environment. I propose to replace the vast majority of these vehicles with police horses – at substantial savings to the taxpayer.

“Horses are much cheaper to run – they only need straw, oats and a handful of carrots – and this will be much better for the environment too. Horses are adaptable, can easily handle adverse weather conditions and, unlike motor vehicles, they can jump walls and fences! The public will even benefit from free manure for their gardens, so it really is a ‘win, win’ scenario. I am genuinely excited about the possibilities of this initiative.”

The switch to horsepower will see Drylaw Police Station converted to a state of the art stable enclosure for new equine recruits.

“We all know that crime levels are falling so we will need fewer police stations,” Mr House went on. “Drylaw isn’t that busy, so we will convert that building to a new stable facility for the horses. The police officers currently based at Drylaw will be retrained and will learn important new skills – grooming, cleaning tack, mucking out and things like that – which will give them something to do if there aren’t any criminals to catch. My officers are enthusiastic and adaptable, and we will need new skills for a new era in policing.”

Scotland’s criminal fraternity do not seem over-concerned about the Police Scotland initiative, however. Former crime boss Robert ‘Big Boab’ Baxter, who now writes exclusively on crime-related matters for the Daily Record, said: “Ma pals – sorry, former associates, won’t exactly be quaking in their boots when they hear this! Horses! I think Mister Hoose is semi-detached!”

Glasgow businessman Baxter, who was dubbed the ‘Barlanark Butcher’ before becoming a respectable security adviser, went on: “I’m looking forward to watching Red Rum and Dobbin taking on a Jag or a BMW in a race up the M8! Maybe the Chief Constable thinks he’s John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. What’s next – the sheriff and his deputies and getting a posse together? He’s havin’ a laugh!”

It’s understood the Chief Constable’s conversion to horse power didn’t come from watching old Westerns – but sources close to the Chief confirm that he was influenced by seeing Oscar-nominated film ‘War Horse’.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority, which oversees the new police organisation, dismissed criticism and insisted the reforms will go ahead. He said: “Yes, Stephen worked in Strathclyde but this is not shootouts in the Wild West, goodies chasing baddies, or even cowboys – although Glasgow does have it’s fair share of cowboys. This is a new dawn for policing in Scotland and we are looking at innovative new ways to tackle crime in this country. The public will be delighted to know that this equine initiative – we call it Operation Thoroughbred – is just the first of many brave, exciting new ideas. Yes, we are absolutely convinced that the public will sleep easier in their beds and will support us all the way on this. There may be a few teething problems, but Scotland’s criminals should be warned – we’re on your trail and we’re hunting you down! Tally ho!”