Nurse sacked over “hypnosis attacks”

By Paul Thornton

A PERVERT nurse was sacked after it was claimed he HYPNOTISED patients in order to grope them.

Iain Balsillie, 40, from Fife, was given the boot by B Sky B where he worked as an occupational nurse after two females working at a call centre in Dunfermline claimed he tried to put them into a trance before touching them up.

It is claimed Balsillie used the trigger words “drop for me” in an attempt to make women fall into his arms after which he would grab them by the breasts and lower their head onto his private parts.

One woman – who claims she fell prey to his advances – said she felt like she “had been raped” by Balsillie.

The occupational nurse offered to resign over the allegations but bosses at the broadcaster terminated his employment instead.

Sex assault

And it was revealed that after the incidents in Fife, Balisillie was convicted of a similar attack on a woman in Manchester.

He was jailed for 12 months in September last year after admitting sexual assault.

Balsillie was released in March but has been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

He now faces being struck-off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council over the hypnotism claims, as well as his conviction.

Police hunt paintball-gun-toting thieves

By Rory Reynolds

A PAINTBALL firm has been targeted by raiders for the second time in a week.

Bedlam’s site at Queensferry near Edinburgh was hit by sneak thieves overnight on Sunday in a break-in which saw paintball guns, gas grenades and ski masks stolen.

It came just a week after a similar raid at its site in Kirkintilloch near Glasgow.

Police have warned that the stolen items could easily be confused for real weapons.

After school staff leave five-year-old on busy street

By Rory Reynolds

AN after school club is under investigation after a five-year-old boy was left alone in the city centre after a day trip.

The child was stranded on busy Cockburn Street in Edinburgh after the children’s bus left without him last Thursday.

Parents say it was only when the bus got to Cameron Toll – a mile and a half away – that one of the trip organisers noticed the boy was missing.

Two members of staff rushed back in a taxi to where the boy was lost, by which time he had been taken to a police station.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy rebukes Scottish Government over Lockerbie affair

By SHAUN MILNE, RORY REYNOLDS & OLIVER FARRIMOND

LABOUR last night launched a savage attack on the Scottish Government’s handling of the Lockerbie affair amid renewed calls for a decision to be taken quickly over the fate of convicted bomber Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy launched a stinging rebuke yesterday branding the SNP administration’s approach to al-Megrahi’s bid for freedom “a little bit embarrassing” and demanded a decision be made “one way or another”.

Labour Peer Lord Foulkes also claimed Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was behaving like “a rabbit caught in headlights” and was “paralysed” by the magnitude of the decision, and revealed he had also tabled a question at the Scottish Parliament about the delay.

But First Minister Alex Salmond leaped to the defence of his under-fire cabinet minister, saying any decision would be made “in the interests of justice” as soon as Mr MacAskill had considered all the advice presented to him last weekend.

Mr Murphy ignited the controversy on a visit to a West Lothian factory yesterday and helped to further politicise the affair with his remarks on the very day Megrahi dropped a second legal appeal against conviction.

Asked what he thought about the case, he said: “The British Government’s view is that this is the decision of the Scottish Government.

“The fate of al-Megrahi is 100 per cent the Scottish Government’s responsibility.”

Meteorite sale not as earth-shattering as was thought

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTLAND’S answer to Indiana Jones sold his meteorite collection today – but the results weren’t as earth-shattering as the experts thought.

Estimated at over £500,000, Robert Elliott’s collection of rocks – which included a piece of the moon – raised just £130,000 when they went under the hammer at Lyon and Turnbull.

The enthusiast’s collection included pieces of meteorites from all over the globe, including the Barwell Meteorite which fell to earth on December 24 1965.

It was the highest selling item – fetching an impressive £8,000.

Bravery of officers recognised at awards

By Cara Sulieman

A HERO police dog called Zico who helped ‘collar’ four crooks within the space of a fortnight has received a top gong from his Chief Constable.

But the four-year-old German Shepherd wasn’t allowed into the ceremony at police HQ in Edinburgh today to pick up the meritorious award.

Instead his handler PC Christopher Lannin took the lead and collected the Chief Constable’s Commendation on the brave dog’s behalf, admitting: “Even in modern policing, there’s still no substitute for a good nose.”

The pair had tracked down a suspect who had fled after attempting to break into a car with his friends.