Criminal Record has compiled a round-up of today's most significant crime stories from across the country. Each day, we bring you the latest developments, from child killers seeking freedom to the ongoing gangland war in Scotland. Here is what made the news on Sunday.
Man dies and two left seriously injured after crash
A 50-year-old man has died and two others have been seriously injured following a two-vehicle collision on the A709 in Dumfries and Galloway. The crash occurred at approximately 7:35pm on Saturday, June 6, on the Dumfries to Lockerbie road near Lochfield, Lochmaben. It involved a black Vauxhall Vectra and a white Citroen Dispatch. Emergency services attended the scene, and three people were transported to hospital. Despite medical efforts, the driver of the Vauxhall died shortly after. The incident remains under investigation.
Peter Murrell sold Portugal villa after legal aid approval
Disgraced former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell sold a holiday villa in Portugal months after being granted legal aid to fund his defence in an embezzlement case. The Algarve property was sold in October last year, approximately six months after his legal aid application was approved. Murrell, who admitted embezzling over £400,000 from the SNP and faces sentencing later this month, had some assets frozen as part of the Operation Branchform investigation. However, the Portuguese villa, which overlooked Nossa Senhora da Rocha beach and was jointly owned with family and friends, was not among the frozen assets.
Police hunting gangland bosses in Costa del Sol
Scottish police are assisting in the hunt for gangland bosses operating criminal empires from the Costa del Sol. Police Scotland has been singled out by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as the UK force receiving the most support and intelligence on criminal network activity in Spain. Collaborations have led to successful joint operations, including the recent takedown of the Lyons crime clan. Scottish officers were deployed in Spain to coordinate raids, share encrypted data, and execute international arrest warrants. In April, Spanish police dismantled a drugs gang linked to the Lyons family after a three-year probe with Scottish authorities.
Zero tolerance knife policy calls
The Scottish Government is facing demands to reintroduce a zero tolerance approach to knife crime following the murder of teenager Kayden Moy. One of the 16-year-old's killers had previously walked free despite being caught carrying a machete. In 2012, new prosecution guidelines ensured even first-time offenders found with a knife would face a jury trial and likely jail time. This approach, combined with education programmes, led to significant decreases in stabbings. However, a Sunday Mail investigation found the strategy has been abandoned in recent years due to overcrowded prisons and budget cuts. Since 2022, only a third of knife possession charges and less than a fifth of offensive weapons charges have been handled by senior courts. Thousands of cases were dropped or handled in lower courts with lenient sentences. Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill stated: 'If the Scottish Government has dropped their zero-tolerance approach then they have serious questions to answer. This rise has happened on their watch and they must take responsibility.'
