They include a ‘dangerous predator’ who sexually abused two women over a period of 11 years, and an Amazon driver who stabbed a traffic warden during an argument.
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While, a 24-year-old man who inhaled laughing gas and killed an elderly woman while speeding in his car was jailed for three years and seven months.
And a man who tried to smuggle cocaine worth £5.6 million into Edinburgh Airport was jailed for 10 years last month.
1. Dangerous predator jailed
A ‘dangerous predator’ who sexually abused two women over a period of 11 years was jailed last month. Gavin Green, 31, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing on Thursday, April 3, where he was jailed for a total of seven years. The sentence comes after Green was found guilty in March of sexual offences against two women in Musselburgh and Penicuik. His crimes took place between 2011 and 2022. Detective Sergeant Lynsey Thomson said: "Green is a dangerous predator who rightly faces a lengthy period in prison as a result of his deplorable actions. I would like to commend the women for their strength in coming forward to report his offending and throughout the legal process. I hope this conclusion will help them as they move forward with their lives." | Police Scotland
2. Drug traffickers jailed
Two men were jailed for a total of 10 years last month for running a huge drugs operation worth thousands of pounds in West Lothian. Kevin Ramage, 64, and Derek Wilson, 36, manufactured millions of Etizolam tablets, also known as street Valium, from one of three units on an industrial estate in Broxburn between July 2020 and December 2021. On April 3, both men were sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after being found guilty by a jury of being concerned in the manufacture and supply of controlled drugs following eight days of evidence. Ramage, of Tranent, East Lothian, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison while Wilson, of Broxburn, was jailed for five years and six months. Wilson will also be subject to confiscation proceedings under Proceeds of Crime legislation to recover monies illegally obtained. | COPFS
3. Man on the run caught in woods and sentenced
Coen Bust, 47, disappeared from his Edinburgh home just hours before he was due to be sentenced for sending vile sexual messages to who he believed was a 14-year-old schoolgirl. Police Scotland launched a manhunt including two appeals to the public along with images showing the Dutch national getting off a train at Dunkeld train station in Perthshire on March 13. The computer specialist was eventually tracked down by officers who found him sleeping rough in a woodland area at the nearby Birnam Glen beauty spot 18 days later. Bust has been held in custody for the last seven days and appeared for sentencing in front of Sheriff Wendy Sheehan at the capital’s sheriff court today, Wednesday, April 9. Previously the court heard Bust had used the name Buttery Robot when making contact with ‘14-year-old Sophie’ on the Chat Avenue forum before moving the contact to Snapchat in August 2023. But instead of a child Bust was sending the sick sexual messages to an undercover police officer who had set up the profile in a bid to snare online child sex offenders. Officers then raided Bust’s former home at the city’s New Town after tracing his IP address and he was subsequently arrested and charged on September 12, 2023. On April 9, Sheriff Sheehan sentenced Bust, of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, to a community payback order involving a two year supervision order as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence. | Police Scotland
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4. Violent rapist subjected woman to 'horrific ordeal'
A violent rapist who subjected a 61-year-old woman to a ‘horrific ordeal’ after forcing his way into her Edinburgh home was jailed in April. Bradley Shand was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting the victim during a trial at Edinburgh’s High Court in February. The court heard that the victim had been watching television alone on January 9, 2023, when she was disturbed by a banging sound. She then found Shand kicking and smashing a door at the property before he forced his way inside. The 23-year-old took the victim’s phone to prevent her from calling the police before raping and sexually assaulting her in what police described as a ‘horrific ordeal’. The Crown Office said the woman was left ‘injured and extremely distressed’ by the attack. Shand fled the scene but was stopped by a police officer a short time later, who saw that he had blood on his hand and wrist. Shand appeared for sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh on April 15 where he was handed an extended 12 year sentence, with 10 years in custody. His name has also been added to the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. A non-harassment order, banning Shand from contacting or attempting to contact the victim, was also granted for a 15-year period. | COPFS