Thursday's crime news in Scotland includes a former world snooker champion's trial, a killer gangster taunting enemies at a wedding, and a grieving father seeking answers over his son's murder.
Graeme Dott trial: alleged victim testifies
Snooker player Graeme Dott, 49, is accused of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards two primary school age children. The allegations span between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy, both in the Glasgow region. Dott has denied the two charges against him.
His trial at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday heard evidence from one of Dott’s alleged victims, who was appearing by video-link. He told the court he remembers the first instance of alleged abuse as it happened when Dott was world snooker champion. The man, who is now in his late 20s, said he was sexually abused by Dott on multiple occasions, with the snooker player touching him inappropriately, kissing him, and performing sexual acts.
Killer gangster with £100k bounty mocks rivals at wedding
Hashim Uddin, a killer gangster with a £100k target on his head, has mocked his rivals and confronted his victim's family at a wedding. Uddin was released from prison earlier this year after he was jailed for stabbing his brother-in-law Omer Sadiq to death in 2020 in a row at a flat in Glasgow.
Underworld sources have told how the smug brute was “moving like he owned the place” at a pal's recent nuptials and delivered the message “I’m the man and I’m back” to his enemies. One source said: “Uddin is back causing trouble and making his presence felt.”
Kayden Moy's dad demands answers over social work supervision
Kayden Moy's grieving father has demanded answers after it was revealed two of his killers were under social work supervision during the time of his brutal murder. Cole Turley and Jay Stewart, both 18, received a minimum sentence of 16 years behind bars after they stabbed 16-year-old Kayden to death at Irvine beach last May. They were jailed alongside a 15-year-old following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month.
Kayden's dad Paul has demanded “accountability, transparency and answers” from South Lanarkshire Council as it has been revealed two of the young males were under the supervision of social work at the time. He said: “I am calling on South Lanarkshire Council and Social Work to answer serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the tragic murder of my son, Kayden. All three boys who have now been convicted of Kayden’s murder were, as I understand it, under social work supervision at the time. Yet they were still able to remain in the community while continuing to offend and, according to the circumstances surrounding this case, carry knives. Why were they allowed to continue walking the streets?”
Carer admits embezzling £8,000 from vulnerable OAP
Glasgow carer Gaynor Ewart, 49, has admitted embezzling £8,000 from a vulnerable OAP at a supported housing complex. She appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court on Friday, August 12. The thief, from Glasgow, stole the bank card from the victim, who is understood to be in her 80s, before allegedly splurging on holidays, new trainers and designer gear.
Ewart had been caring for the elderly woman when she committed the crimes while employed with Trust Housing Association. The offending took place at the group's supported housing complex in Thornliebank between June 1, 2022 and June 17, 2023. A source told the Record: “Ewart abused her position of trust to swipe this lady's bank card and hard-earned cash, it's absolutely rotten. She would come into work in new designer clothes all the time. She even went on several trips to Florida during this period. We were all wondering how she could financially do it.”
Scotland's worst drug mules: influencer jailed
Ellie Crampsie, a glamorous Scottish influencer, was jailed after smuggling £150,000 worth of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport. She was sentenced to 16 months behind bars after being caught with more than 17kg of cannabis stuffed into a suitcase following a flight from Thailand. Crampsie was stopped by Border Force officers at Edinburgh Airport on April 16 last year after flying from Thailand via Paris. A search of her luggage uncovered 17 vacuum-sealed packages containing 17.7kg of cannabis, with a street value estimated at between £115,000 and £151,000. She claimed she had been forced into carrying the drugs by a former boyfriend.
At her sentencing, Sheriff Graeme Watson accepted there had been a “power imbalance” in the relationship and that Crampsie had been “naive and potentially taken advantage of”. But he described her conduct as “reckless” and said a custodial sentence was unavoidable. Just months after being locked up she was pictured at a music festival called Colourfest at the Braehead waterfront. The 23-year-old posted pictures of herself at the event on Instagram – her first new post on the account since she was sentenced in April. She has also posted 25 videos on TikTok since August 9.
