Among the criminals sentenced last month, was a factory worker, who was jailed for stealing more than half a million pounds from her employers, and a paedophile who targeted two schoolboys after meeting them while playing games on an Xbox.
A 22-year-old man who racially harassed a commuter before attacking them with an axe at Waverley railway station was jailed last month, as was a man described as a "useful idiot" who set fire to two businesses as part of a gang feud.
1. Sex with vulnerable teenager in McDonald's toilet
A predator who had sex with a vulnerable teenage child in a McDonald’s disabled toilet has been jailed for almost four years and placed on the sex offenders register for life. James Hateley was seen kissing and cuddling the 13-year-old child in the Meadowbank McDonald's before luring her into the toilet area where he removed her clothing. Hateley, 30, then touched the victim on the body with his hands before having sexual intercourse with her as he sat on the toilet in May 2022. He pleaded guilty in January to an offence of engaging in sexual activity with the child and was back in the dock for sentencing on February 3. He also admitted to an offence of failing to appear at a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 12 last year. Solicitor Nicola Haston, defending, told the court her client had been under the influence of heroin at the time of the offending but was “remorseful and has insight into the harm on the complainer”. She added: “He accepts his guilt but was using a lot of drugs and alcohol at the time.” | Alexander Lawrie
2. Flight rape attempt
A man who sexually assaulted a woman on board an EasyJet flight from Naples to Edinburgh was last month sentenced to six years in prison. Nicola Cristiano , 45, carried out the assault during a late evening flight on May 13, 2025 . The Italian national repeatedly grabbed the woman by the hand and neck in an effort to force her to touch his exposed crotch, and his semen was later found on her cheek and lip. The father-of-two, who had been travelling to Edinburgh on a work trip, also attempted to kiss his victim and touch her breast and body. Cristiano was found guilty of attempting to rape the woman following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in January. Sentencing him at the same court on February 6, judge Alison Stirling referred to a victim impact statement submitted to the court and told Cristiano: "The complainer says the assault has left a lasting effect on her sense of safety and control. She doesn't feel comfortable flying and travelling alone any more. She had planned another holiday this year but she doesn't want to go on it any more." The judge said: "The fact that it happened in a public setting surrounded by other people, even though she felt completely alone at the time, has been especially damaging for her. She thinks this will always have a lasting effect on her." The judge told Cristiano she noted from a criminal justice social work report that he had not accepted the guilty verdict. She went on: "Custody is the only appropriate sentence with regard to the serious nature of the offending." | Police Scotland
3. Beauty salon fire
A man described as a "useful idiot" who set fire to two businesses as part of a gang feud was jailed for more than seven years last month. Logan Carlin , 24, threw bottles filled with accelerant into two properties in Edinburgh in March last year as part of an effort to intimidate a rival gang. He first targeted a beauty salon on Albert Street on March 6 before going on to set fire to a garage on Milton Road East. The Belle Chevaux beauty salon is thought to have been the first to be targeted with such an attack in a feud between rival gangs, which saw a number of incidents in the east and west of Scotland . Carlin targeted DB Auto Services 10 days after the beauty salon attack. The High Court in Edinburgh was told that the beauty salon was part-owned by someone connected to an organised crime group and the attack could have put nearby residents in "mortal danger". Issuing his sentence, Lord Summers said the crimes were aggravated by Carlin's links to organised crime. The beauty salon was "part-owned by a person with links to a serious organised crime group", the judge said. He said: "The purpose of your attack was to intimidate rivals." Lord Summers said he took into account the legislation on serious organised crime, as well as the youth sentencing guidelines as Carlin was 23 at the time of the offences and is still under 25. He imposed a sentence of seven years and four months, backdated to April 8 2025. | National World
4. Train station axe attack
Brian Patterson, 22, was jailed for four years at Edinburgh High Court on February 10 with a two-year extension period, having pleaded guilty to racially aggravated Assault and causing Danger to Life with an Axe at the same court on January 13. The court heard how on Friday, September 5, just before midnight, Patterson was on the railway station’s overbridge when he began to follow his victim and their friend through the station. While following them, Patterson started to racially abuse his victim before making inappropriate sexual comments towards the victim's friend. Patterson grew aggressive and began to threaten the victim, who turned around and got on the escalator to leave. Patterson continued to threaten him, before pulling an axe from within his clothes and hitting the victim to the side of the head. The victim was unaware he'd been struck by an axe, suffering a bump to the side of the head and cuts along the neck, and he watched as Patterson ran away while tucking something into his waistband. An urgent investigation was launched by British Transport Police, with officers locating and arresting Patterson on October 1. While under caution and in custody, Patterson, of Back Braes in Brechin, asked officers if the guy he had 'supposedly' attacked was alright. | British Transport Police