Man in court after body discovery

By Michael MacLeod

A MAN has appeared in court after human remains were found outside an Edinburgh flat.
Robert Chalmers, 57, was charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (Wed).

He appeared from custody in private before Sheriff Gordon Liddle, and lawyer Andrew Houston spoke on his behalf.

Mr Chalmers was remanded in custody after making no plea or declaration to the charge and was committed for further examination.

His appearance in court follows the discovery of the body of Samantha Wright, 25, at the city’s Magdalene Drive on Monday.

“Big Yin” biker hits iPod-playing passer-by

By Michael MacLeod

A MAN lost control of a three-wheeled “Billy Connolly type motorbike” and crashed into the back of an iPod-wearing pedestrian who didn’t hear it coming.

Craig Douglas had just bought his huge new motorbike and “couldn’t wait to have a shot,” despite being uninsured and without a full licence.

But he hit a dip in the road before smashing into Paul Hutchinson, 24, who had to be taken to hospital for cuts to his head and back.

Douglas, 42, admitted dangerous driving at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and was today (Thurs) fined £400 and hit with seven penalty points, meaning he loses his licence as a new driver.

Scottish Parliament staff “alarmed by pensioner’s letters”

By Michael MacLeod

A PENSIONER is to face trial for allegedly sending letters “of a menacing character” to the Scottish Parliament.

John Campbell, 70, is said to have written letters to Holyrood with content that left staff “in a state of fear and alarm.”

It is claimed the Parliament staff reported three letters to police between January 12 and February 19 last year.

The Uphall man denied the breach of the peace charges at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Thurs) and is due to stand trial later this month.

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Baby’s brain haemorrhage went ignored for a week

By Michael MacLeod

A TEN-week-old baby boy was forced to suffer for over a week with a brain haemorrhage after a man fell on stairs while holding him.

Robin Hay, 33, was meant to be looking after the tot – who cannot be named – at an address in Edinburgh last year.

Worried relatives noticed veins were bulging from the baby’s head, but Hay shrugged off their concerns and failed to explain the youngster’s head injury.

A health visitor making a routine check was not told about the tumble either.

A second medical visitor flagged up the injuries a week later and told Hay to take the baby to the capital’s Royal Hospital for Sick Kids “immediately.”

Instead, Hay first went back to his own home before taking the injured baby to hospital.

Tiso thief was “easy” catch for police

By Michael MacLeod

A CAMPING shop worker stole over £18,000 of mountaineering gear before selling it on eBay.

But police said it was “easy” to catch dozy Andrew Pringle because he made buyers on the internet auction site pay directly to his personal bankcard.

The 22 year-old sneaked equipment out of the warehouse of the Tiso shop in Edinburgh where he worked.

The firm’s Commercial Street store in Edinburgh lost on out on an estimated £36,400 of potential income from the goods, had they been sold at the recommended retail prices.

But it took shop bosses over a year to realise the gear had gone missing and that one of their own staff members was the culprit.

Shamed solicitor faces jail for taking from pensioner’s will

By Michael MacLeod

A DISGRACED former lawyer who took almost half-a-million pounds from a dead pensioner’s will used the cash to pay off his own debts.

Michael Karus, 48, embezzled £413,052.81 while acting as the executor of the estate of the late Edith Hampton, who died aged 89 in 2003.

It emerged yesterday in court that he used the former teacher’s cash to settle debts in his own law and property firms and even paid off a personal credit card debt.

It was originally thought that the Cancer Research charity was entitled to the huge sum left in Miss Hampton’s will.

But it was only when the charity began to investigate that it emerged she had drawn up a second will for the money to be given to a friend, which Karus claims he knew nothing about.

He was arrested in March last year and yesterday (Mon) announced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court that he paid the Crown £500,000 to be given to the genuine beneficiary – a Mrs June Pirie of Edinburgh.

Boyfriend’s text jealousy drive sparks assault on girlfriend

By Michael MacLeod

A JEALOUS thug who brutally attacked his girlfriend after finding text messages from her ex-boyfriend has avoided a jail sentence.

Ryan Johnston, 31, almost suffocated terrified Pamela Milligan on his mattress after finding her ex had sent messages to her phone.

He claims his drink was unwittingly spiked on a pre-Christmas night out in Edinburgh.

And when the couple returned to his house, boozed-up Johnston assaulted his 28 year-old partner, leaving her covered in bruises.

As she fled to seek sanctuary with her parents, Johnston desperately pleaded with her to open the Christmas presents he had bought her.

But she ignored him and escaped to hospital where medics examined her injuries.

He was warned by Sheriff Deirdre MacNeill that the attack “justified imprisonment” but was sentenced to 260 hours of community service today (Fri) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Own goal as Celtic ‘keeper gets speeding penalty

By Michael MacLeod

CELTIC goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska has been hit with a fine for speeding near Edinburgh Zoo.
A speed camera caught the 27 year-old Poland international hitting 41mph in a 30mph zone on the capital’s Corstorphine Road on January 21 this year.

This week he admitted that he had been driving a car over the speed limit.

The Parkhead number two managed to keep a clean sheet in his side’s 4-0 win over Falkirk in the Co-operative Insurance Cup on Wednesday night.

But yesterday (Thurs) he got three penalty points on his licence at Edinburgh’s Justice of the Peace Court.

Further arrest after cops find “pub dog fight”

By Michael MacLeod

A TENTH man has appeared in court in connection with an alleged illegal dog fight in an Edinburgh pub.

James Docherty, 26, is charged with being present at an animal fight in the capital’s Duddingston Mull pub on September 9.

He appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (Thurs) and denied the charge under the Animal Health and Welfare Scotland Act.

But his request for bail was refused and Sheriff Nigel Morrison remanded him in custody ahead of the trial next month.

His appearance comes after eight others, aged 20 to 26, also denied the allegation in previous court appearances.

Jailed prostitutes were “bullied” into hostage raid

By Michael MacLeod

TWO prostitutes who robbed a post office of £11,000 in a fake hostage heist have been jailed.
Linda Brown, 25, and Kelly Urquhart, 30, claimed they were “bullied and coerced” into the raid by their now-dead pimp.

Brown pretended to be a customer looking for stamps when Urquhart and gang-leader Adrian Brosnan burst through the door and threatened to harm the pretend customer.

He and Urquhart demanded money from the terrified post-office worker, Alexander Brydon, who was looking after the shop for his ill brother.

They made off from the Edinburgh post officer with thousands of pounds in cash, but were caught driving towards the Forth Road Bridge after witnesses alerted police.