Latest Offenders Edinburgh

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A man who sexually assaulted women while they slept has  been jailed.

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, Justin Lovell was sentenced to seven in prison for the rape of two victims and the sexual assault of another at various addresses across the Capital.

Officers from the city’s Public Protection Unit initially began their investigation into 25-year-old Lovell after a 19-year-old female reported that she woke to find herself being attacked following a party in the west of the city in January 2015.

Further offences were then uncovered after detectives spoke with more women who disclosed similar offences, all of which occurred while they slept, having attended parties.

Lovell was detained on 29th July and was convicted last month.

Detective Constable Richard Johnston from the PPU at Fettes Police Station said: “I would firstly like to thank the women who came forward to report his offences to police.

“Their bravery and continued assistance during our inquiries undoubtedly led to Lovell’s conviction and means he cannot carry out further crimes against women as he serves a custodial sentence.

“Justin Lovell has shown himself to be an opportunistic predator, who targeted woman while they were at their most vulnerable and left them deeply traumatised as a result of these attacks.

“He will now spend several years in prison for his crimes and we would like to assure all survivors of sexual offences that their reports will be handled with the utmost seriousness.

“Whenever such reports are made to us we will investigate thoroughly and work closely with our partners at the Crown Office to bring those responsible to justice and ensure they are removed from our communities.

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A former council senior planning officer, convicted of downloading child abuse images, is re-considering appealing his dismissal.

Kingsley Drinkwater (51), was fined 1000 and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years after he pleaded guilty in February to the charge.

After he was later dismissed by Midlothian Council for failing to inform his manager of the charge he originally appealed.

He told the Advertiser: I did appeal. They seemed to take none of my personal circumstances into it.

But my circumstances have changed now. I dont know if I would gain much from it. I had thought I had nothing to lose. But to be honest the stress of the wait has come back to me.

It probably looks worse than it is. There is a whole lot more to this.

Its something I still dont understand why I did it.

Im in a difficult situation. Im trying to get myself back together. I have had a terrible time since 2008.

It doesnt look good and I know it. But it was a minor offence that I have been fined for and thats it.

In February this year Mr Drinkwater pleaded guilty to downloading indecent photographs of children on August 23, 2013, at his home in Edinburgh.

He told the Advertiser that his life had been hell when he committed the offence.

He said: I have lost my daughter, I get limited access.

Im trying to put my life back together. I have lost pretty much everything. Its been hell. My house was repossessed. And at the moment I cant afford to pay the rent on my current house.

I have been climbing mountains for the last 10 years, particularly the last four years. Every time I think I think I have got clear something else happens.

And right now you have presented me with another mountain to get over.

I have dreaded it since February that something would happen, but there is a lot more to it than just what it says on the charge sheet.

There is people that deserve to be handled in this way. But I havent been involved in anything, just looking at stuff on the internet.

There was no offence against any person, just looking at stuff and deleting it.

Because I was at such a ridiculously low point at the time I wasnt thinking about what I was doing.

Believe it or not Im a decent person who tries to help others and always does the right thing, but I was so low at the time. My mind wasnt with it. I could have done anything.

A spokesperson for Midlothian Council said: Midlothian Council does not comment on individual disciplinary matters.

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A man who had sex with two underage girls he met in an internet chat room has been jailed for eight years. Steven Brodie, 29, slept with a 13-year-old girl in her bedroom in Caithness after first leading her to believe he was the same age as her.

He later had sex with 15-year-old girl in the Highlands.

Passing sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord McPhail said Brodie had shown little thought for the consequences on his victims.

The case had earlier been referred to the High Court from Wick Sheriff Court after Sheriff Andrew Berry said he could only impose a five-year prison sentence.

This is a clear case of the callous, cynical and deliberate grooming and exploitation of a child by an adult male for sexual purposes
- Lord McPhail

Brodie, from Edinburgh, admitted he had sex with the 13-year-old girl and that he was aware of her age. He also admitted having intercourse with the other youngster, but said he thought she was 16.

The court was told that Brodie swapped about 200 text messages and calls with the 13-year-old girl he met in a chatroom before driving to her Highland home and having sex with her after the victim's mother left for work.

Police later discovered that he had also formed a relationship with a 15-year-old girl in a chatroom and taken her to a bed-and-breakfast for sex.

Lord McPhail said: "This is a clear case of the callous, cynical and deliberate grooming and exploitation of a child by an adult male for sexual purposes."

"You were 28 at the time and developed a relationship with a child of 13 on the internet, well aware she was only that age."

'Affected her schooling'

The judge said a background report made it clear Brodie had been more worried about the consequences of the case for himself than for his victims.

He added: "Your behaviour towards the youngest child affected her schooling and her relationship with her mother. You have been concerned mainly with the consequences for yourself."

Brodie met the younger victim in November last year after she accessed the internet on her phone and was connected with a chatroom.

She at first thought he was about the same age as her, but as they exchanged messages she became aware of his true age.

After meeting her for sex, Brodie kept in contact with his victim before she revealed to a friend what had happened.

The friend then spoke to her own mother, who contacted the police and the mother of the victim.

Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson said Brodie was "at a loss to explain his behaviour towards the end of last year".

He said Brodie maintained he was not actively searching for a girl under the age of consent when he went into the chatroom, but was looking for a sexual relationship.

Brodie earlier pled guilty to three charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with the underage girls.

He also admitted two offences under protection of children and prevention of sexual offences legislation.

The mother of the younger victim has previously warned other parents about the potential dangers of young girls to access chatrooms on their mobile phones.

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The dismembered body of a former teacher jailed for abusing pupils has been found in a garden in Edinburgh. Lothian and Borders Police have named the victim as 51-year-old registered sex offender Alan Wilson. It is understood his legs had been severed.

Detectives launched a murder hunt after the discovery was made on Tuesday.

The body was found at the rear of a communal garden area in Merchiston Avenue at its junction with Polwarth Terrace.

Mr Wilson, of North Bridge, Edinburgh, was a principal history teacher at Edinburgh's respected James Gillespie's High School until he was suspended in February 1999 when a mother complained that he had plied her son with drink.

 "It's shocking anyone should end up like that" Det Supt Bert Swanson. He resigned from his job after an investigation revealed repeated sex abuse on boys after making them drunk.

He was jailed for 18 months in 2000 after being convicted of carrying out homosexual acts on three of his pupils.

The court heard that he committed eight sex assaults on the boys, aged 16 or 17, over a period of five years.

Detective Superintendent Bert Swanson, of Lothian and Borders Police, said it was one of the most brutal crimes he had encountered.

He said: "The body was dismembered and found in several parts, concealed in bags and it's shocking anyone should end up like that.

"It's brutal and distressing, particularly for the relatives, for them to realise that their beloved person, someone they love dearly, has been found in such a way."

Mr Swanson added that police were "keeping an open mind" and said it was too early to tell whether the fact Mr Wilson was a registered sex offender was related to his death.

Officers were carrying out door-to-door enquiries in a bid to piece together the events surrounding the murder.

Forensic specialists completed their scene of crime investigation on Tuesday afternoon.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said detectives were following a "positive line of enquiry".

He added: "A post-mortem was carried out to establish the exact cause of death.

"We would appeal to anyone who lives in the area and who may have seen anything suspicious in the last few days to contact us."