Wardieburn stabbings: one victim ‘critically ill’

‘This was an appalling attack’ – DCI Stuart Houston

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following the attempted murder of two men in Wardieburn. The incident took place at around 6pm on Wednesday evening in Wardieburn Place West. The area was busy at the time and police are hopeful that potential witnesses will come forward.

The men had travelled down from the Aberdeen area to buy a car, but on arrival they were attacked and stabbed after being lured into a common stair by two men. The suspects, who may also have robbed their victims, made off, possibly via the large grass area at the rear of the block.

Both victims were left with serious injuries and one – a 43-year-old man – is in a critical condition.

Officers are eager to speak to any witnesses who may have seen the two suspects.

The first suspect is described as a white man aged 17-19 years old, with a local accent. He has light coloured short hair which is shaved at the sides and was wearing a light coloured sky blue hooded sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms.

The second suspect is a white man in his mid-twenties with a stocky build. He was wearing a striped top.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston said: “This was an appalling attack on two men who came to the address in good faith. This attack happened in daylight and we believe there may be a number of witnesses who may have seen the suspects in the area. Anyone with information that can help with our enquiries is urged to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Two in hospital following Wardieburn knife attack

Two men stabbed in Wardieburn in broad daylight

Two men are being treated in hospital following a knife attack in Wardieburn Place yesterday. The incident happened in broad daylight at around 6pm.

An investigation is underway to establish whether a Vauxhall Astra abandoned at the scene was involved in the incident.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Police in Edinburgh responded to a report of a serious assault on two men in the Wardieburn/Pilton area of the city around 6pm on Wednesday. Enquiries are ongoing into the full circumstances of this incident.”

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

Three assaulted by knife-wielding robbers

Police seek witnesses to Ferry Road Drive knife attack but say #StrongerNorth initiative is producing ‘significant results’

Police are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary in a Ferry Road Drive flat this morning. The attack comes just two days after community safety leaders hailed ‘significant results’ in the battle against crime and antisocial behaviour in the area.

Two intruders, both brandishing knives, broke into the property at around 6am and threatened and assaulted three male occupants before making off with cash, phones and other items. The victims were take to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment but their injuries are not thought to be serious.

The first suspect is described as white, skinny build, malnourished appearance, 18 – 20 years old, 5ft 3 – 5ft 4in tall. He has short, dirty blonde hair and was wearing a light grey cotton Adidas tracksuit with blue stripes.

The second suspect is described as white, 24 – 26 years old and a heavier build. This man has a round face with short dark hair that is receding at the front. He has a Scottish accent and he was wearing a black Superdry style jacket with dark jeans.

Police are appealing for the local community to come forward with information to assist their investigation into a terrifying incident.

Detective Constable Ryan Lee said: “This was a very distressing incident for the victims, who were assaulted by the two suspects within their home. We are appealing for anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in the area of Ferry Road Drive at around 6am this morning to contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

This morning’s incident is the latest in a series of acts of violence and antisocial behaviour that have blighted the area over recent months. It’s a setback to the #StrongerNorth initiative, which was established last October following the attempted murder of local takeaway restaurant owner Jie Yu during a car robbery.

The perpetrators of that vicious attack were jailed last week and on Friday it was announced that senior law officers will be invited to visit the area to see first-hand the effects of what many local residents see as ‘soft sentencing’.

Last Friday, the agencies behind #StrongerNorth – Police Scotland, the city council and local community organisations – said the initiative is making progress but more needs to be done.

In a statement, Police Scotland said: “Preventing crime and bringing those responsible to justice remains a top priority for Police Scotland. There have been significant results with violent crimes 16% lower than the five-year average which means that in North Edinburgh, 130 fewer people have been victims of violent crimes.

Additional CCTV has been added to the area with further plans to bring more cameras to West Pilton. There has also been a sustained drop in the level of anti-social behaviour in the local community.”

Community Safety Leader, Councillor Cammy Day – who is also a councillor in the Forth ward – said: “#StrongerNorth is making real progress and I continue to be very grateful to the local community, who have rallied round to help make the north of the city a safer place.

“Information from local residents is helping us, along with Police Scotland, to combat antisocial behaviour and they have led the way on community clear ups to create a more positive environment.

“I am confident that, based on the positive reaction so far from residents, we will reach our goal of reducing crime to build stronger, safer communities.”

National resources from Police Scotland continue to assist North Edinburgh officers, with additional support from local Violence Reduction Units and the police helicoptor. Police horses have also been frequently deployed.

Inspector David Happs said: “The message from Stronger North remains clear – criminality in the local community will not be tolerated. While we have made significant steps tackling crime, we accept that there is still more work to be done.

“Our aim remains the same as it was six months ago: to create a better community for the people of North Edinburgh.”

Jail for PIlton attempted murder pair

Two men have been sentenced for the attempted murder of a Chinese takeaway owner in West Pilton last year. Gary Reid (19) was sentenced to seven years in a young offenders institution and James Hogg (24) was jailed for eight years three months at the High Court in Aberdeen.

Reid and Hogg last month admitted attacking Jie Yu, 38, near his takeaway restaurant in Ferry Road Drive on 1 October last year. Mr Yu suffered a near fatal neck wound during the vicious attack as he tried to stop the pair stealing his car.

Reid and Hogg had stolen Mr Yu’s delivery vehicle from outside his Peking Garden takeaway after he left the keys in the ignition. Mr Yu then chased after the men on his daughter’s bike. When he caught up with the pair and remonstrated with the men, he was punched, kicked and repeatedly stabbed by both men in what was described as a ‘vicious and unprovoked attack’.

Both Reid and Hogg, who both have previous convictions, pled guilty to attempted murder when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow last month. At that hearing Reid also admitted his behaviour was racially motivated: his older brother John was jailed for the high-profile killing of Chinese takeaway driver Simon San in Edinburgh in 2010.

Soapbox: Fixing North Edinburgh

Muirhouse man and award-winning film maker Garry Fraser gives his take on his community’s current problems …

It’s kinda ironic that the police put out their chopper every night and day, costing some were like £400 grand per month. The aim of this chopper is to catch the young team in their stolen cars and bikes. A’m sure the figures are out but North Edinburgh has the highest crime rate in Scotland. They have evicted folk, jailed folk, issued community sentence orders and then cut off another generation to jail as they are too old.

None of their policies work, which leaves the System scratching its head wondering ‘what are we doing wrong?’ You have a massive college in North Edinburgh where folk from around the world come to study – but only two streets away it’s another world. They shipped everybody out of Muirhouse when knocking down the Pennywell flats. Over the years they took away most forms of economic growth: i.e. the pipes and the gas works even Granton’s fishing boats.

Every local MP & MSP & councillor get in to their comfy seats and forget about this and do nothing, apart from sit over an HIV & smack epidemic that of course lasted through the 80’s & 90’s – now comes weed & legal highs.

Its like south central Edinburgh.. How many police stay in the area were they enforce the morals? How many of those wee guys, if trained in whatever, would probably take a job or go and study but only if they were helped and supported through the college system. Every brickie or trades guy who makes it from Muirhouse, Pilton, Royston or Drylaw ends up being one of the best on the site – that’s a fact …

Most folk down there who get a real chance and opportunity in work or education grab it with both hands as they know what the alternative is … that’s robbing, stealing, dealing and living within the chains of masculinity. That is now, because there are no real opportunities.

Ye need to empower a community and let them come up wi’ their own solutions. You need to invest in education to reduce the gap in equality.

You need to have a rehab or treatment centre bang in the community to get three generations of methadone and other daft prescription drugs clean: ye can’t sell green to addicts through drugs policies then jail folk for selling weed to pay for food, power and for some their own smoke.

Ye can’t put shops with pubs chippy’s and bookies then wonder why folk get addicted to putting bets on! Fatty foods, drink then say ‘Oh, why are they dying of preventable illnesses well before their time?’

When I went to college they say I saved them £1.6 million over three years in the social return on investment – imagine what these wee guys now are costing?

See whoever gets elected for the North Edinburgh do you think they will do anything about these injustices while they say they wish to cut austerity?

I taught maself to read, taught maself to write, love ma people and these rich folk take take take & give nothing back apart from academic reports done by their pals.

The system is rigged …

On film: Oor Wullie and the great Pilton clean up!

This video of last month’s community clean up event in Pilton was made by Alex Godlewski for the Action for Pilton community group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDyTdOY8A0w (Preview)

You can find more about the group and what they are doing by visiting:

www.actionforpilton.org.uk

Drugs worth £200,000 seized following local raids

Police act on local intelligence – five to appear in Court

House searches at addresses in Drylaw, Leith and Broomhouse have led to five arrests and the recovery of drugs worth almost £200,000.

Acting on local community-led intelligence, police officers from the Organised Crime Counter and Terrorism Unit seized over 16kg of cannabis. 11kg of amphetamine and 112 diazepam tablets.

Four men – aged 51, 33, 49 and 45 – and a 46-year-old woman are now scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

If you wish to report drug crime or any other ongoing criminal activity your area can contact Police Scotland on 101 or make an anonymous report via the charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Crackdown on crime continues across the city

Police Scotland have reported more progress in the fight against crime on Edinburgh’s streets

Police in Edinburgh investigating a firearms discharge in West Pilton have charged three men as part of wider disruption activity linked to the enquiry.

Officers responded to calls to West Pilton March in the early hours of Tuesday 3 March after gunshots were fired at the front door of a house.

Through information gathered from the local community during the subsequent investigation police identified three men aged 20, 23 and 25 in connection with a number of other crimes, including housebreaking, robbery and bail offences which had occurred across the city.

The three have since appeared in court and are all remanded in custody. Enquires are continuing into the firearms discharge and anyone who can assist police with their ongoing investigation is asked to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston said: “The local community in West Pilton have been extremely helpful during our enquiries into the firearms discharge and as a result of this investigation, three men have subsequently been charged.

“I would like to thank the public for all of their assistance so far and would again request that anyone who can help us trace those responsible for the firearms discharge to contact police immediately.

“In addition, anyone wishing to report any further criminal activity can also get in touch by contacting 101 or making an anonymous call to the charity Crimestoppers on 08000 555 111.”

In a separate development, enquiries into a Portobello armed robbery have led to arrests for crimes committed in Craigcrook Road.

A 21 year old man old appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday facing charges in connection with an armed robbery at a Ladbrokes betting shop in Portobello on Monday 2 March.

Enquiries in relation to this robbery led to the subsequent arrest of a man and woman in connection with an attempted robbery in Liberton Gardens and a housebreaking and vehicle theft in Craigcrook Road.

Both offences took place on Monday (9 March) and the pair aged 20 and 21 appeared in court yesterday.

In addition, a 25-year-old man has been charged following a robbery in Magdalene Gardens on Sunday 8 March. The male has also been charged with a firearms offence following a disturbance in Lochend Drive the same evening.

Detective Inspector Alan O’Brien said: “As a result of vital intelligence from the public, alongside extensive investigation from police in Edinburgh a number of individuals are now in custody in connection with various incidents, which took place in the Capital over the past week.

“We are continuing with our enquiries to identify others believed to be involved in the Portobello robbery and would again request that anyone with information that can assist with this investigation comes forward.

“Police Scotland is committed to tackling violent crime and offences where weapons are used. Whenever we receive reports of this nature we will conduct a thorough investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

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

More MVP training

I saw the NEN’s piece about the MVP (Mentors in Violence Prevention) training on 24 March at Pilton Community Health Project.

There is also a session for parents on

Monday 23 March

at 6pm in Craigroyston Community High School.

A couple of senior pupils from the school will help to take parents through the approach, which promotes positive relationships and gives young people the confidence and skills to challenge bullying, violent or anti-social behaviour.

It’s aimed at parents of older primary school children who will be trained in MVP when they start at Craigroyston or Broughton High School, and parents of High School children are also welcome.

The session shouldn’t take longer than an hour and a half, and child care is available if planned in advance. If anyone is interested they can book through me on the details below.

Sarah Neal

CLD Worker (Community Learning & Development & Total Craigroyston)
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, Pilton Drive North. Tel: 0131 552 5700

What’s all that noise, then?

If you live in North Edinburgh you couldn’t have helped hearing the helicopter circling over the area last night. What was it all about? Police Scotland explain all:

HELICOPTER ACTION

Last night the Police Helicopter was out conducting planned police activity in the Pennywell Road area.

This activity was part of Operation Quarterlight our initiative aimed at tackling motor vehicle crime. Officers from across Edinburgh were deployed, including dog units and of course the chopper.

A 22-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman were arrested and charged with a number of offences. They will both appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

So there you have it – no hiding place for criminals …