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Wednesday, 4th November 2009 Change Date Latest Issue

'King of Beggars' jailed after knife threat at market

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Published Date: 12 August 2008
EDINBURGH'S self-styled "King of the Beggars" has been jailed for eight months for threatening stall holders with a knife at a market.
John "Kaiser" McKay, 51, was on a three-day "bender" to celebrate his birthday when he brandished the weapon at the Festival Market in Parliament Square, a court heard.

He pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday to possession of a knif
e and assaulting three stall holders by threatening them with violence. He also admitted stealing three silver rings and committing a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing.

The incident came only ten days after a film shot by police featuring McKay was shown to shopkeepers in the Capital in a bid to encourage them to sign up to the Safer Off-Sales (SOS) scheme.

Fiscal depute Bruce Macrosson said McKay was walking up and down between the market stalls asking if he could buy some rings. The prosecutor said the accused became increasingly abusive to the stall holders, making vulgar remarks to women.

When they asked him to leave, McKay showed them a skean dhu he had up his sleeve and told them: "You need to be taught a lesson."

He told them he would drive them from their work so that he could steal items from their stalls, saying: "Do you know who I am? I am the King of the Beggars."

Defence agent Nigel Beaumont said: "He was on a bender on August 7, 8 and 9."





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 12 August 2008 2:39 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Randan,

12/08/2008 12:07:09
I think he's better named King of the Losers, however I get the feeling he might revel in this name too.

Complete this sentence: What an absolute ...
2

Xena - Warrior Princess,

12/08/2008 12:22:35
#1 I agree, 51 years old and still a tw@t. I wish he would begger off somewhere off.
3

Finbarr Saunders,

12/08/2008 12:26:25
"King of the Beggars"?

"Scum of the Earth" would seem more apt.
4

Teofilio Cubillas,

12/08/2008 12:31:37
He told them he would drive them from their work so that he could steal items from their stalls, saying: "Do you know who I am? I am the King of the Beggars."

Actually, you're a p.ish smelling old jakey who has contributed nothing positive to society in your sad, drink addled existence. You're not even a celebrity con anymore,now that that other jakey waster Kenny Richey is in the pokey as well.
5

elayne,

12/08/2008 12:48:39
i had misfortune to bang into this tw@t in calton rd recently,he tried to cadge a cigarette from me,i told him to (you know what),hes an arrogant deluded auld jakey,most jakeys are pretty hamless,ok they smell of p!sh etc and are annoying,but most dont pull knives on folk,lock him up,hose him down n throw away the key!
6

Shorething,

12/08/2008 12:53:01
"Defence agent Nigel Beaumont said: "He was on a bender on August 7, 8 and 9."

Well thats OK then.
7

Jambo Number 1,

12/08/2008 12:54:04
I wonder how he would like a punch in the nose? If most normal adult men in the city (ie, ones that are not jake balled alcholics who sleep in the same pants for 17 months) were to sock him one, maybe he might change his tune.
8

Peedie Paws,

Edinburgh 12/08/2008 13:03:28
Hit him with that gobstopper weapon!
9

valleyjim,

12/08/2008 13:18:57
Wonder if Nigel was on a bender with him.
10

neds-r-us,

3, Edinburgh Road, Perth 12/08/2008 13:21:07
Give "Kaiser" a break all you people on the Evening News forum.

The majority of you are on state benefits or in council and housing association houses getting rent and council tax rebates.

Some of you may even be undeserving pensioners getting pension credit as you were too lazy to provide for yourselves during your working or non-working life.

Give "Kaiser" a break.
11

Stepford Nat,

12/08/2008 13:41:21
I bet he's a unionist

www.snp.org.uk - no more monarchies!
12

john3,

12/08/2008 13:42:10
#10 I think lots of people would like to give him a break!!
13

valleyjim,

12/08/2008 13:44:12
#10. I'll give him a break. I'll break his arm if he pulls a knife on me. I take it you are his pal, you can come too if you want.
14

Hibernia,

12/08/2008 13:46:34
#10 your from Perth and your slating people from Edinburgh - now thats funny.
15

alex paterson,

edinburgh 12/08/2008 13:53:00
King of the Tubes more like.
16

likkitysplit,

Well south of Perth 12/08/2008 13:54:51
#10 maybe so, but I still cant afford to go on a 3 day bender!
17

Paul Voltaire,

12/08/2008 14:25:20
He should be exiled to the South Pole along with that Naked Rambler guy.
18

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 12/08/2008 14:50:29
#10 neds-r-us

"Give "Kaiser" a break."

Yes, by putting a rope around his scrawny neck and dropping him through a convenient trapdoor!

19

Jenny MacArthur's Humvee,

12/08/2008 14:56:19
Does anyone know Rab McFee another famous Edinburgh jakey? To this day he brags about the day he battered Kaiser.
20

Dicriminated,

12/08/2008 15:00:03
#19 Its true, this guy has been in & out of prison for nonesense like this for years. In the meantime tax payers subsidise his behaviour. Whose realy daft here!
21

,

12/08/2008 15:07:10
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
22

AJ Fife,

12/08/2008 15:39:59
Thank Christ, this sort of thing disnae happen in Fife!
23

Ecco Warrier,

Embra 12/08/2008 15:51:04
Does he get royalties from the Kaiser Chiefs to fund
his binges.
24

Findlay Thompson,

12/08/2008 15:59:40
#10

It appears the rest of the world is against you today. Rest assured all the posters who added their comments were fully aware that Mr McKay has suffered mental health problems since his teens. This man has been without a family to speak of and with a very unbalanced upbringing, zero help from social services he is a product of our society.

This man’s home to speak of is Saughton Prison where he is guaranteed food & a bed for the night. Once his sentence is spent he’s out on the street again until such time as he commits another crime and is re-sentenced c/o the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service. This scenario occurs over and over again. Any suggestions posters as to the best assistance our society can offer this man?

NB. I wonder if any of our wise posters have a family member who suffers mental health problems…I wonder!

.
25

Cant use my name anymore-Alex,

here 12/08/2008 16:03:49
Whilst I have no doubt this man is a totally a*rse, I suspect that this is a made up or trumped up charge to keep him inside for the festival. Sanitising Edinburgh for the tourists. Im sure theres a few more being kept hidden in this way. I beleive its not uncommon for some of our "usual suspects" to get fitted up for something at this time of year.
26

Mikey,

12/08/2008 16:20:04
25, nonsense! If he's a looney, section him! If he's not, then make sure that the next time he goes to jail, he doesn't come out for a LONG time!
27

Jim A,

12/08/2008 16:26:28
#24 Findlay Thomson, while there is merit to what you say unfortunately those with mental health problems can only be helped if they allow that help. Mr McKay in the past has been offered help and refuses it. Short of sectioning the man, what do you suggest?
28

valleyjim,

12/08/2008 16:49:47
#24. We could use these people for spare parts.
29

JML,

12/08/2008 16:59:52
#28 LOL!!!!
30

Incandescent,

12/08/2008 17:00:27
#24 Clearly, a capital sentence is the most cost-effective solution.
31

Draco Was a Wimp,

Edinburgh 12/08/2008 17:23:53
I'm confused. What is the difference beween Mr. Kaiser being 'on a bender' and his everyday existence? Does he consume a special vintage Bucky on his anniversary? And I notice that, like Her Maj herself, this monarch of the pavements has more than one day of birthday celebrations.
32

Smackhead,

Edinburgh 12/08/2008 17:41:23
#22
Yeah you know why it doesnt? Beacuase NOTHING happens in Fife. Period. A real hole.
33

antifa,

12/08/2008 17:55:50
A sad story basically - a man with mental problems behaves irrationally and a bunch of Edinburgh bigots want to hang him. Jesus.
34

Jim A,

12/08/2008 18:17:34
#33 antifa. Short of sectioning Mr McKay no one can force him to seek help for his problems. Even in prison they can't make him do it. Locking him up seems to be the only solution, this guy started waving a knife around, it may be only a matter of time before he injures someone or worse kills someone. So as I said above to #10 Findlay Thompson, what do you suggest?
35

Scotish Exile,

12/08/2008 19:23:11
The Police should be allowed to "get rid of him" a la the death squads in Latin America.
36

Axl,

Edinburgh 12/08/2008 21:25:25
#35

Too right.

This guy is proper, proper scum of the highest order and quite frankly an 8 month gaol sentence is just going to be a holiday for him.

As soon as he gets out he'll be right back on the streets doing what he does best: being a total and utter menace to society at large...

...and the whole process will start all over again.



37

Finbarr Saunders,

12/08/2008 21:48:32
#24 - Findlay Thompson - "Any suggestions posters as to the best assistance our society can offer this man?"

Euthanasia?

38

,

12/08/2008 23:22:51
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
39

,

12/08/2008 23:27:12
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
40

jakeball tamo,

Edinburgh 13/08/2008 09:07:55
see ye in 8 months da
41

elayne,

13/08/2008 11:24:30
#22"doesnt happen in fife?"have you been in kirkcaldy recently???,the spiritual home of the great unwashed!if one got a penny for every jakey/drug addict/chav/person who talks to themselves/wear dirty trackys etc spotted in kirkcaldy high st or the bus station,one would be rich indeed!
42

Incandescent with Rage!!!,

13/08/2008 14:13:52
#39

“Why should his 'rights' or our 'obligations' be above innocents rights, and our obligations to keep criminals off the street, out of harms way?”

You seem to have a them and us tone in your comment. #24 sounds like he/she is looking for constructive dialogue among posters, the vast majority of which appear to talk the same talk as the people of the German 3rd Empire 70 odd years ago.

I’m sure you can stretch your intellect to raising the standard of the thread by adding a constructive comment.

43

,

13/08/2008 19:20:41
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
44

Rampant Warrior,

Valhalla 14/08/2008 09:59:38
#43

You’re a very offensive contributor, do you log on to the Scotsman specifically to upset the other posters?
45

Theodore,

14/08/2008 10:06:27
Prison and hard labour is the only solution to the problem with Mr. ‘Kaiser’ John MacKay, we can’t gamble on whether he may or may not maim or kill somebody!! Indefinite custody is the only solution to the problem!!!
46

jimbob55,

31/08/2008 22:29:08
Findlay Thompson. you talk nonsense. Kaiser has not suffered mental problems since his teens or been without his family.
Speaking as his nephew he was one of the funniest i new in the eighties. Sure he had a drink problem and was a part time petty thief but he did go straight for many years. He babysat me and my sister for years.
His problems really started when he moved to Edinburgh. Too much drink and drugs. Too many peeps taking advantage of the week. now he is trapped in a never ending circle

PS. where you get your info from id love to know.
To me he is still Uncle Ian

 

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