Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

Drink Driving, Don't Risk It!

1400 accused of serious crimes in Lothian go on run

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 14 May 2009
By ALAN McEWEN
MORE than 1,400 criminals accused of crimes including rape, attempted murder, and sexual abuse are on the run and being hunted by police in the Lothians.
The majority of those on the hit list had warrants granted against them after failing to appear in court, with officers now charged with tracking them down.

The number of wanted individuals would be enough to fill Saughton Prison twice over if they were rounded up today.

Some of the more serious offences are believed to involve individuals who went missing after being granted bail during previous court appearances.

Police chiefs say many may have fled the country or are actively evading detection.

The list of outstanding warrants, released to the Evening News under freedom of information laws, showed that 1419 warrants were outstanding in the force area as of Monday.

Five alleged rapists and a total of 175 people facing assault charges, including for attacking a child, leaving alleged victims with "permanent disfigurement or impairment", and sexual assaults, were among those on the loose.

Many cases go back several years, and the figures today sparked renewed criticism over the bail system for freeing people accused of serious offences who later fail to turn up in court or simply disappear.

Councillor Iain Whyte, who is also convener of the Lothian Police Board, said: "The bail system is under pressure because the SNP is seeking to prevent people going into prison and they refuse to build any more. The difficulty of putting people charged with serious offences on bail is that they don't turn up to court and that wastes police time enforcing warrants, to say nothing of the danger of them committing more offences."

Inspector Steven Gibb, from the divisional intelligence unit based at St Leonard's police station, said: "We do receive warrants for petition cases and indictments for more serious offences and those will take priority.

"We get through quite a volume each month, but are always left with about 850 or so outstanding.

The majority are for people failing to appear in court. If we believe they have left the area or the country then we can go to other forces or agencies like Interpol to see if they have turned up elsewhere."

During January in the capital, 384 new warrants were delivered to the force, with only 28 now remaining outstanding.

In February, 299 were issued and 35 are still outstanding, while 310 came through in March with 53 left on the books.

A Scottish government spokesman said: "We propose to increase the penalties available to the courts for those who breach bail or undertaking conditions.

"However, we have strengthened Scotland's bail laws so that anyone facing trial for serious cases of sexual, violent or drug offences who has previously been convicted by a jury of similar crimes may only be bailed in exceptional circumstances."


Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 14 May 2009 10:46 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Edinburgh policing
 
1

alfonsa pedrosa,

embra 14/05/2009 11:57:47
How hard are the polis trying to catch these crooks,at least the ones still in the country,it is obvious they will go on the run.
2

Ecto,

14/05/2009 12:04:25
No bail is the answer or bail bonds like America!
3

Dood,

14/05/2009 12:08:10
#1

I'd suggest that you may refer to the last four paragraphs which would suggest that the 'polis' appear to be trying fairly hard. The figures tend to back the story up.

I'd also suggest that you read the rest of the story and perhaps try to comprehend that the issue here is the court system, something which the current Executive, as well as previous ones, have failed to address.

But then again, you could just have a go at the 'Polis'. After all, you usually do. Yawn.
4

Foo,

14/05/2009 12:24:52
How exactly do we know they are on the run? I'm willing to bet a lot are cycling or driving cars.
5

an interested party,

14/05/2009 12:27:27
not being at home when the polis come round
not being arrested again

thats how you go on the run
6

,

14/05/2009 12:29:05
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
7

Dood,

14/05/2009 12:37:36
#4

I saw one on the bus this morning. Wearing a hooded top. Giveaway.
8

I love to eat Sellotape,

14/05/2009 12:48:13
I like to jog, which, I suppose, means I am sometimes "on the run". Does this make me a criminal? Or is it the fact that I sometimes expose myself in public?
9

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

14/05/2009 13:12:49
"Police chiefs say many may have fled the country or are actively evading detection."

That is "They've run away or they're hiding" but translated into management bullsh1t.
10

Howler,

Edinburgh 14/05/2009 13:17:33
Perhaps the Sheriff's and PF's need to consider using Supervised Bail more often.It is a resource that is funded by Edinburgh,& Midlothian Council in partnership with SACRO.Our justice MSP's need to put pressure on the courts to utilise this, then at least bail addresses are checked,& visited and the baillee signs in 3 times per week.It's not guaranteed that the person won't still try to run from the polis but at least there is some form of monitoring.
11

,

14/05/2009 13:36:09
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
12

High Lines Jambo,

On the Run 14/05/2009 13:40:43
"The number of wanted individuals would be enough to fill Saughton Prison twice over if they were rounded up today."

This is the main point to me. Too many criminals, not enough space to keep them locked up.
13

groover t,

reekie reekie 14/05/2009 13:41:24
Why not make the police force's job 3 times as hard as it already is by giving them mountains of pc paperwork to fill out and letting all the criminals go that they have already caught so they have to catch them again, oh, and why don't the politicians stop building jails so there is nowhere to put the criminals once they are caught for the second time round?Makes perfect sense?It would to me if I was a criminal.The world is going regi mental.
14

Peedie Paws,

14/05/2009 13:46:04
Call in Dog, the Bounty Hunter. He will get them rounded up and in jail before you can bat an eyelid.
15

,

14/05/2009 13:53:36
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
16

Helmut von Knobrott,

14/05/2009 14:02:33
15 ???

You are too cryptic for me.
17

Foo,

14/05/2009 14:48:44
16

He keeps deleting my posts. Just add any insult/praise you want.
18

Helmut von Knobrott,

14/05/2009 15:07:44
17

Someone who knows you and bears a grudge?

World's full of 'em.
19

Foo,

14/05/2009 15:24:14
Funny thing is, I know who one of the admins are. Name has an 'A' and has a 'D' in it.

:o)
20

Helmut von Knobrott,

14/05/2009 15:43:18
Colleagues - they are the worst!
21

James (1),

14/05/2009 15:49:54
They may be criminals and on the run but do you know that you cannot stop their benefit money from being paid to them whilst the are avoiding capture. The benefits get paid directly into post office accounts and can be drawn out at any post office.

Human Rights Act working to keep the criminal funded.
It should be scrapped or renamed Assistance to commit Crime Act.
22

SPG,

edinburgh 14/05/2009 16:14:44
Explosive collars. Never fails and is amusing at the same time.
23

groover t,

reekie reekie 14/05/2009 16:25:03
#14 but how will we keep him supplied with pedigree chum and de-worming tablets?
24

Helmut von Knobrott,

14/05/2009 16:25:09
19

He could be Jason from the cycling thread.
25

piper,

14/05/2009 16:33:29
name them shame them some people will know some of the toerags bail bonds like the USA is the answer or even better dont give the more serious crimes bail at all SIMPLE
26

Scallywag,

14/05/2009 22:13:11
40% of the so called accused have been charged with parking tickets or spitting in the street,
27

igloo,

Edinburgh 14/05/2009 23:24:34
Well said 10 & 13


The warrant system is useless. When the police catch some one, they get them to court, then the court releases them on bail " what a deterent"

I have heard of cases where the offender has offended 6 times when on Bail.

When the Offenders are the subject of a Warrant if they fail to attend court. When traced, they are normally held in police custody to appear in court the following day.

On appearing at court, the offender often is given another date to appear, again the offender fails to attend. and another warrant is issued.

Some warrants are issued where there is non-payment of a fine. Again the offender is traced held in police custody to appear at court. The offender often is given more time to pay the fine.

The offender fails to pay the fine again, traced, held in police custody, goes to court, yes once again may be released with more time to pay or face a short jail sentence.

Again the offender fails to pay the fine in full, now this is the clever part.

The offender actually hands themself into the police on a Thursday evening. The offender goes to court on the Friday is given 7 days jail, starting from the Thursday. Because some fool decided prisoners only have to serve half the sentence the offender should be released from jail at the weekend. As the prison do not release prisoners at the weekend and it would be against the offender's human rights to keep them until Monday, the offender is released from the court on the Friday.
No fine to pay and no time in the pokey.

The costs of getting offenders to Court, taking into account police officers, Cell staff, Reliance for transport, court time and witnesses. The cost must run into Thousands for some cases.

Who said crime doesn't pay. Its us who are paying !!!!

28

The Ayrshire Bard,

15/05/2009 12:09:55
This is a very serious issue that doesn't deserve the moronic comments that are appearing. Many of the culprits are, or were here because of the government's open door policy. We've already seen the result of convicted murderers having been allowed into the country, and there have been cases of rape by foreign workers. As they all seemed to find their way into the country without problems it's probably much easier to get out.

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.