Here is your latest monthly round-up of criminals sentenced at Edinburgh’s courts.
Among those convicted in May was a disgraced police officer who was found guilty of domestic abuse, and a teenager who was detained for three years for raping a 14-year-old girl at an Edinburgh park.
Meanwhile, two men who chased a man into a supermarket before one of them battered his dog to death with a metal pole are now both behind bars.
1. Pair killed dog during supermarket attack
Two men who chased a man into a supermarket before one of them battered his dog to death with a metal pole are now both behind bars. Dean McKay and Daniel Devlin chased pet owner Kyle Pugh into the store before McKay launched an attack on the man’s German Shepherd named Goldie. McKay, 38, kicked the animal to the body before killing the dog by hitting it over the head with a metal bar. Devlin took part in the horror attack by brandishing a knife and a claw hammer at Mr Pugh during the incident outside the Premier Store supermarket at the Calders area of the Capital in May 2024. The pair pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by approaching Kyle Pugh while in possession of a hammer and a knife at Calder Park in Edinburgh when they appeared at the city’s sheriff court earlier this year. McKay admitted to a charge of causing an animal unnecessary suffering by kicking the dog on the body, striking her on the head with a metal pole causing her death during the incident on May 31, 2024. Allegations of striking the dog with a knife and a claw hammer were deleted from the charge. McKay, of Calders, was jailed for 27 months and given a lifetime ban from keeping or owning animals at a court hearing two weeks ago. Devlin, of the city’s Juniper Green, appeared for sentencing on May 8 where Sheriff Alison Stirling imposed a 12 month prison on him backdated to his remand date of April 11. | Alexander Lawrie
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2. Sex attacks on girl
A predator who carried out a series of horror sex attacks on an eight-year-old child was last month jailed and placed on the sex offenders register. Mark Crosbie, 52, preyed on his vulnerable young victim on occasions at a home in Loanhead, Midlothian. He also targeted two further victims. Crosbie, of Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, was arrested and charged after one victim, now an adult, came forward to report the abuse she had suffered to the police. The self-employed painter and decorator denied all the allegations but was found guilty of four charges by a jury following a four day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year. Crosbie returned to the dock for sentencing on May 15 where police officers were forced to intervene after members of Crosbie’s family shouted abuse at supporters of the victims. Sheriff Graeme Watson told Crosbie he had been found guilty of “very serious charges” and his denial of guilt has resulted in him showing “no remorse or insight into the offending”. Crosbie was jailed for 24 months and has had his name added to the sex offenders register for 10 years. Sheriff Watson also imposed three non-harassment orders banning Crosbie from contacting two of his victims for five years and the third victim for 10 years. | Alexander Lawrie
3. Police officer’s domestic abuse
A n Edinburgh police officer carried out a horrific two year campaign of domestic abuse that led to his partner attempting to take her own life. Gabriele Tersigni “victimised and humiliated” the woman by controlling who she could see and jealously demanded he attend when she went on nights out with friends. He also searched the woman’s phone without her permission and accused her of having affairs with other men during the abusive relationship between January 2023 and December 2024. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the victim’s mother was eventually forced to rush her daughter to hospital after visiting her home and finding her “exhausted and broken”. Prosecutor Hannah Fairbrother told the court the woman was so distressed by her two year ordeal she began to self harm and had attempted to take her own life on two occasions. Tersigini - who is currently suspended from the force - pled guilty to engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards the woman at an address in Edinburgh when he appeared at the Capital court earlier this year. He returned to the dock for sentencing on May 19 where lawyer Lewis Muir said his client had “demonstrated insight and accepted responsibility” into his offending. Tersigni was sentenced to an alternative to custody where he will be supervised for two years and must attend sessions with the domestic abuse rehabilitation service, the Caledonian Mens Programme. The officer was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and will be electronically tagged and have to stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 12 months. | Alexander Lawrie
4. Rapist jailed
A rapist was jailed last month for six years after a series of sexual and violent incidents across the Lothians. Kerr Amstrong, 26, was found guilty of a number of offences including rape and sexual assault during a trial on March 31. He returned to the High Court in Edinburgh on May 13 where he was handed a six-year prison sentence following his conviction. Armstrong carried out the offences between February 2020 and December 2021 in East Lothian and Midlothian. Offences also took place in the Scottish Borders area during this period. Following his sentencing, Constable Craig Turnbull said: "Armstrong is a violent and depraved individual who now faces the consequences of his abhorrent actions. Our thoughts remain with his victim and I hope his sentencing provides her with some measure of comfort." | Police Scotland