Edinburgh’s courts dished out sentences in April for crimes including murder, serious sexual assaults and embezzlement.
A 53-year-old man was sentenced to nine years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh for a series of sexual offences over a 15-year period. Bernard Callaghan, who was described as a ‘dangerous individual’ was found guilty of sexually assaulting and targeting three women across Fife, Edinburgh and East Lothian between 2007 and 2022.
A father and son who murdered and mutilated two men in an orgy of sadistic violence were jailed for life last month. Ian MacLeod, 66, and Dean McLeod, 42, were both ordered to serve at least 34 years in prison before they can seek to apply for parole after killing Derek Johnston and Desmond Rowlings.
And, a pensioner who spied on a woman while she used the toilet at an Edinburgh fast food restaurant was placed on the Sex Offenders Register. David Levenson, 71, peered over a cubicle partition at the horrified victim as she used the facilities at the McDonald’s takeaway in the capital’s city centre last year.
1. Sexual assaults by massage therapist
A massage therapist who groped the breasts of two female clients while treating them for back and neck problems escaped a jail term in April. Gavin Murray, 60, fondled the women while massaging them as they lay semi-naked on a treatment table at his clinic in Dunbar, East Lothian. One victim told the court she felt “violated” by the sex assault on her and was so distressed afterwards she suffered panic attacks and was forced to take time off work. The second woman said she had been left “exposed” during the massage session where Murray had “stopped just short of touching my nipples”. Murray, from Dunbar, returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday, April 8, where Sheriff Ian Anderson was told the shamed therapist continues to deny he attacked both women. Sheriff Anderson said he was issuing a community disposal as “an alternative to custody due to the nature of the offences”. Murray was placed on a supervision order and on the Sex Offenders Register for 12 months. | Alexander LawriePhoto: Alexander Lawrie
2. Pervert snared by paedophile hunter group
Michael Ennis sent sick sexual messages to a profile he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl named Poppy and then arranged to travel to Edinburgh from his home in the Borders to meet up with her. But the 65-year-old was caught out when instead of meeting the child he was confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group Online Child Safety Team who had set-up an online sting. Ennis pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally sending indecent messages to who he believed was a child and attempting to meet with the child on November 27, 2022, when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. On April 9, Ennis was jailed for 12 months and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. | Alexander LawriePhoto: Alexander Lawrie
3. Father and son jailed after admitting murders
At the High Court in Edinburgh on April 8, Ian MacLeod, 66, and Dean McLeod, 42, were both ordered to serve at least 34 years in prison before they can seek to apply for parole after killing Derek Johnston and Desmond Rowlings. MacLeod senior separately invited both victims to come to his home at Greendykes House in the Craigmillar area of Edinburgh where they were savagely attacked. His son, nicknamed Denim, bought two hammers, forensic suits, plastic overshoes and goggles in the lead up to the murders. The judge endorsed the words of a victim's bereaved family who described it as "the cowardly actions of monsters". | Alexander LawriePhoto: Alexander Lawrie
4. Life imprisonment for murder
A 47-year-old man was jailed for life in connection with the death of Paul Smith, who died following a serious assault in the Craigmillar Court area of Edinburgh in January 2021. John Blyth was found guilty of murder at the High Court in Edinburgh on March 15. At the High Court in Glasgow on April 12 he was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 13 years. Mr Smith was conveyed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, around 2.20am on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 but later died on Sunday, January 10, 2021. | Alexander LawriePhoto: Alexander Lawrie