Edinburgh’s courts dished out sentences last month for crimes including domestic abuse, possessing child sex abuse images, and one man was sent to jail for murdering his wife.
A firefighter escaped a driving ban and instead was handed penalty points and a fine after he drove his car through a give way junction and crashed into a truck carrying more than 250,000 eggs while travelling home from a family holiday, leaving his wife and two family members with serious injuries.
And, a disabled man who smashed a laptop over the head of his terrified partner during a shocking campaign of domestic abuse escaped a jail sentence. Ross Queripel, 27, was instead placed on a two-year supervision order and will have stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next four months as part of a restriction of liberty order.
1. Police officer with child abuse images
Sergeant Clayton Lackenby was found to have collected thousands of pictures and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as two-years-old. Lackenby, 50, downloaded the horror collection over a three year period showing toddlers being raped by adults to a computer system unit at his former home in the Scottish Borders. The disgraced sergeant was immediately suspended from his role with Police Scotland and resigned soon after his arrest in July last year. The father-of-two appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, November 21, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children between May 4, 2019 and July 14, 2022. Photo: Alexander Lawrie
2. Student with child sex abuse images
A university student escaped a jail sentence despite being caught with close to 250,000 child abuse images and videos. Cheng Xia was found to have downloaded the huge amount of indecent images of children including vile pictures depicting children as young as four-years-old being sexually abused by adults. Xia - who is studying for a PHD in Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh - appeared for sentencing at the city’s sheriff court on November 29, after previously pleading guilty to possessing the images over a near six year period. Sheriff Robert Fife acknowledged Xia had sought out treatment for his “addictive behaviour” and placed him on a supervision order for two years and ordered him to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work. Xia, of Newington, Edinburgh, was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years. Photo: Alexander Lawrie
3. Flashing pensioner
Robert Cockburn, 76, from Port Seton in East Lothian pleaded guilty to 13 sexual offences at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, November 28 and was sentenced to 212 days in prison. Cockburn exposed himself to two children aged 12 and 14 and asked them to perform a sex act on him at a public toilet in Musselburgh last year. The 76-year-old also asked adult men for sexual favours while they used several public conveniences and flashed his genitals to women at a supermarket. Despite being arrested on several occasions, Cockburn continued to flout court bail conditions and attend at local public toilets to commit further indecency offences. The disabled pensioner appeared in a wheelchair by video link at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after previously pleading guilty to sexual offences charges and 11 breaches of bail. Photo: Alexander Lawrie
4. Man murdered his wife
A man who murdered his wife after she left him over his controlling and abusive behaviour has been jailed for life. John Lizanec, 49, was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 23 and must serve at least 24 years before he can apply for parole. He was told by the Judge at the High Court in Edinburgh it was possible he would "never be released". Lizanec who denied the murder was found guilty of killing 44-year-old mother-of-three Michelle Lizanec at their home in Orchard Way, Inchture, on Saturday, 13 February, 2021. Photo: Police Scotland