Fife Police seize Class A’s with street value of £500,000

By Christine Lavelle

Police seized more than £500,000 worth of heroin and cocaine during a series of planned drugs raids in Fife.

A 26-year-old man from Kirkcaldy is expected to appear at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court tomorrow (Fri), in connection to the discovery of the class A drugs.

Fife Constabulary confirmed it was part of an ongoing intelligence led operation designed to tackle serious organised crime.

Detective Superintendent Garry McEwan, head of crime management for Fife, said: “The targeting of those involved in drug dealing and organised crime remains a very high priority for Fife Constabulary.

“The misery caused to local communities by this form of criminality cannot be understated, and Fife Constabulary is fully committed to use all available resources to target, disrupt and detect those involved in its supply and distribution as set out in the Force Policing Plan.

“Class A drugs cause significant harm within our local communities and it is these communities that I appeal to now.

“Contact the police if you have information about those involved in serious crime, including drug dealing and we will react and when possible arrest those criminals involved.

“In relation to this particular seizure I would again like to thank our communities for their ongoing support and would urge that members of the public continue to alert us as to their concerns and provide information that would assist us in removing harmful drugs from our streets.

“We will listen and investigate what the public tells us.”

Security guard honoured for saving two-year-old’s life

By Christine Lavelle

A SECURITY guard at Heriot-Watt University who saved a toddler from choking to death on a hot dog has been hailed a hero.

Two-year-old Jess Shearer had fallen unconscious at the nursery she attends on the university’s campus in Edinburgh, when Dave Love rushed to the scene and dislodged the piece of food, and managed to resuscitate her before paramedics arrived.

Since the ordeal, Mr Love has been honoured with an award from the university’s principal, Professor Steve Chapman, who declared the father-of-two’s actions as “quick, decisive, professional and instinctive”.

The little girl’s mum, Maggie Shearer, who works for the university’s academic registry service, praised Mr Love, 39, for his quick thinking.

Man shouts abuse at security guard after drunken night out

By Cara Sulieman

A MAN who can’t remember how he ended up at hospital told a Polish security guard to “go home” because he woke him up.

Security staff were called to the A&E department of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary because Stuart Clarke has been acting aggressively.

They arrived to find the 17-year-old fast asleep and woke him up, to be met with a torrent of abuse.

Clarke told the two men to ‘f*** off’ but it was when he discovered that one of the guards was Polish that he became more aggressive.

Man embezzles money from shop to fund gambling addiction

By Cara Sulieman

A MAN embezzled more than £5,000 from the shop he was in left in charge of by faking cashback transactions.

Richard Humphries, 32, put £50 cashback through the company’s system on credit card payments then pocketed the cash to feed his gambling addiction.

He managed to steal £5,500 before being caught by an auditor who became suspicious of the assistant manager.

Yesterday (Thurs) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court Humphries pled guilty to taking the money between August 10, 2009 and May 12 this year.

Edinburgh warned of a HIV ticking timebomb as new cases rise

By Christine Lavelle

HEALTH experts are warning that Edinburgh could be facing a HIV ticking time-bomb, as more than 100 new cases a year are expected over the coming decade.

The number of new infections could jump by 10 per cent, bringing the city back up to the shocking levels seen during the 1980s.

It is believed the problem is now even worse than when it hit its height 25 years ago, because medical advances mean existing patients are living with the disease for longer.

There are 1,100 cases in the NHS Lothian area – with a tenth of these arising in 2010 alone.

Treating each patient cost the health service around £10,000, meaning health bosses are looking to source over £1 million each year to cope with the epidemic.

Health chiefs have cited complacency among the city’s gay community with regards to taking care of their own sexual health, and they believe hard-hitting messages are no longer getting through to people as the disease does not carry the same level of fear as it once did.

New legislation to help prevent forced marriages

By Amanda MacMillan

THE SCOTTISH Government launched a crackdown on forced marriages today (Thurs) – warning offenders they could be jailed under strict new laws.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the new legislation which gives courts the power to issue Forced Marriage Protection Orders aimed at keeping those most at risk safe and also helping those threatened with being taken abroad against their will.

Speaking at Shakti Women’s Aid in Edinburgh, where support workers help young women who experience domestic abuse and provide assistance to those who are being forced into marriage, Ms Sturgeon said: “This is a very important piece of legislation to protect people from being forced into marriages against their will.

“Arranged marriages are established parts of the customs of many faiths in Scotland and where there is consent on both sides that is not an issue.

Parents asked to help improve Royal Hospital for Sick Kids

By Christine Lavelle

BOSSES at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children hope to use ideas from families of loved ones who owe their lives to the miracle staff there to make improvements at the campus.

A new family forum has been set up, inviting parents and carers who have spent time at the hospital to contribute their views about what will make the facility better.

In a series of regular meetings, starting on Thursday 7 October, parents can voice their opinions to management about ways in which the hospital can be improved with regards to outdoor space, play areas and transport arrangements.

They will also be shown drawings of the new Children’s Hospital planned at Little France, and given the chance to speak to the project manager.

Firemen battle blaze at Indian restaurant for four hours

By Christine Lavelle

FIREFIGHTERS battled a blaze for almost four hours, which started at an Indian restaurant in Dunfermline.

Emergency services were called to Khushis Restaurant on Canmore Street at around 12.15pm today.

Six appliances from Fife Fire and Rescue were used to tackle the flames, which led to local road closures in and around the area.

No injuries were reported, but an ambulance stayed at the scene throughout to offer support to firemen, and the blaze was brought under control at around 4pm.

A Scottish Ambulance spokesman said: “We were called to the scene but did not have to treat anyone.”

Fife Police closed off roads near to the restaurant, and warned St Margarets Street and Canmore Street would be closed for another few hours.

A Fife Constabulary spokesman said: “There are no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is yet to be investigated.”

Fife Police Deputy Chief Constable to be new Scottish HMIC

By Christine Lavelle

A FIFE policeman with more than 27 years experience is to be appointed Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.

Andrew Laing, Deputy Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary, will take on the role in December this year, replacing Bill Skelly.

The three-year post can be extended by mutual agreement, and as HMIC for Scotland Mr Laing, 47, will be responsible for planning and monitoring the performance of police forces across the country.

He will also be a source of advice to Scottish Ministers, Chief Constables, Police Authorities and the Scottish Police Board.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill made the announcement today and said: “I am delighted to welcome Mr Laing into his new role and have every faith that he will be a first class appointment in leading the Inspectorate into a new era.

Prostitution is not a choice: nine out of 10 women want out

By Christine Lavelle

DAMNING new evidence was unveiled yesterday showing that not enough effort is being put into helping women escaped Scotland’s sex trade.

Fears have also been raised about the affect prostitution, sex theme bars and magazines are having on the nation’s children.

A new project launched yesterday which aims to highlight the problems and unite impact groups to do something about it revealed that:

• Nine out of 10 women involved in prostitution in Scotland want to get out of it and never made the voluntary choice to enter the industry
• 90 per cent of children aged between eight & 16 have viewed online pornography
• A quarter of teenage girls think being a lap dancer would be a good profession
• 63% of teenage girls said they would like to be a glamour model