Summer in the city is a busy time for policing - Iain Ramsay

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Ramsay

The summer in Edinburgh is an incredibly busy time for the Capital’s CID and Public Protection Unit detectives as we continue to support a variety of policing operations to keep the public safe and deter criminal activity, while also investigating any offences.

With Operation Summer City in full flow, my CID teams have an important role to play in investigating any robberies or public-space violence that can occur as a result of the city’s capacity doubling during this month.

The public have a vital role to play in helping us prevent such offences by taking appropriate measures to keep themselves and their possessions safe when enjoying the summer festivities.

A wide range of crime prevention and personal safety information is available on our website at www.scotland.police.uk.

Of course, it’s not just our involvement in operations and major events that keep us busy during the summer. We continue to deal with the ‘business as usual’ crimes that arise within Edinburgh each day.

In April this year, Lewis Spence, Connor Steele and Brad Logan were each sentenced to seven years imprisonment following the attempted murder of a 40-year-old man in Lochend Road South in September 2020.

This was an extensive investigation that, due to the pandemic, took almost three years to resolve at trial. However, this shows our dedication to bringing the perpetrators involved in serious organised crime to justice and we continue to prioritise our commitments to disrupting harmful activity in our communities.

Back in June, David McKenzie received an eight-year prison sentence for the attempted armed robbery at the Granton News convenience store in October 2021.

We have also had some notable successes over the past few months in tackling public protection crimes, including the sentencing of Grant Moffat for serious domestic offences against a women, which resulted in him being sent to prison for four and half years and receiving a 20-year Non-Harassment Order.

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Barry Ingleston was jailed for 14-years for a number of sexual assaults at various locations within the city centre, while 43-year-old Christopher Pringle was sentenced to seven-years for attacking a woman waiting for a bus in Crown Street.

Such sentences should send a clear message to our communities that those intent on causing harm will be actively pursued by Police Scotland and brought to account.

In April this year, the first part of the Equally Safe Multi-Agency Centre, known as the Sycamore Centre, opened. The facility provides trauma-informed care for adults, who are survivors of sexual and domestic violence. The Sycamore Centre is a joint project between health, social work and Police, supported by the third sector and providing support to people in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.

Since then, the service has been working with adult survivors who have either reported crimes to Police, or who have sought support from the NHS Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS). SARCS is a service offered by the NHS and provides healthcare and support after sexual assault; this is separate to the Police and allows a survivor to seek support and potentially protect any forensic evidence without Police involvement.

There is a dedicated 24 hour NHS phone number, 0800 148 88. For more information on SARCS visit www.nhsinform.scot/sarcs.

Detective Superintendent Iain Ramsay