A former gamekeeper who trapped and killed magpies in his back garden has been banned from keeping animals for five years. Alexander Hamilton, 64, set up three traps to catch the birds at his home before passing the live magpies on to friends to use in their own traps. But it was found Hamilton also killed some of the birds he caught when they became sick by clubbing them over the head with a stick. Hamilton was caught out after a concerned neighbour informed the Scottish SPCA who sent officers out to investigate the practice carried out at his home in Penicuik, Midlothian. Hamilton appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 5 where he pleaded guilty to causing protected animals unnecessary suffering and to striking the birds with a stick causing them to be emaciated and to die at his home, all between July 1 and August 1, 2022. Sheriff Gillian Sharp sentenced Hamilton to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community and disqualified him from owning or keeping animals, with the exemption of his two dogs, for five years. placeholder image
A former gamekeeper who trapped and killed magpies in his back garden has been banned from keeping animals for five years. Alexander Hamilton, 64, set up three traps to catch the birds at his home before passing the live magpies on to friends to use in their own traps. But it was found Hamilton also killed some of the birds he caught when they became sick by clubbing them over the head with a stick. Hamilton was caught out after a concerned neighbour informed the Scottish SPCA who sent officers out to investigate the practice carried out at his home in Penicuik, Midlothian. Hamilton appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 5 where he pleaded guilty to causing protected animals unnecessary suffering and to striking the birds with a stick causing them to be emaciated and to die at his home, all between July 1 and August 1, 2022. Sheriff Gillian Sharp sentenced Hamilton to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community and disqualified him from owning or keeping animals, with the exemption of his two dogs, for five years. | Alexander Lawrie

Edinburgh crime: 8 criminals handed sentences in March at Edinburgh's courts - in pictures

Kevin Quinn
By Kevin Quinn

Reporter

Published 31st Mar 2024, 04:45 BST
Updated 3rd May 2024, 12:52 BST

Criminals who were sentenced at Edinburgh’s courts in March

Edinburgh’s courts dished out sentences in March for crimes including sending child abuse images, assaulting animals, sexual assaults and murder. Daniel Gauld, 25, was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh for the murder of 62-year-old Douglas Struthers who he attacked at his home in Bo'ness in September 2022.

Gary Yuill, 45, of Wallyford, East Lothian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after previously being found guilty by a jury of 21 offences, which included nine counts of rape.  The offences were committed against four women in Haddington, Dunbar, Wallyford, and Edinburgh between 2004 and 2021. 

And, a retired private school teacher who sexually assaulted two young sisters escaped a jail sentence. Paul Carline, 79, - dubbed “Pervy Paul” by one of his victims - targeted the pair when they were aged between five and 12 years old by exposing himself and making vile sexual comments to them. Carline was sentenced to wear an electronic tag and stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 12 months. He will be supervised and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

While, an American airline pilot who was found to have alcohol in his system less than two hours before he was due to fly hundreds of passengers from Edinburgh to New York was jailed for 10 months.

An American airline pilot who was found to have alcohol in his system less than two hours before he was due to fly hundreds of passengers from Edinburgh to New York was jailed for 10 months on March 19. Captain Lawrence Russell Jr was caught with a half empty bottle of Jägermeister in his luggage during a search of his bags at Edinburgh Airport in June last year. The Delta Airlines pilot was immediately arrested by police and subsequently provided a sample that was said to be “not less than 49mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood”. The strict legal aviation limit is just 20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. In comparison, the legal alcohol limit for driving a vehicle in Scotland is 50mg in 100ml of blood. The 63-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of performing an aviation function while impaired due to drink or drugs. Sheriff Alison Stirling said a prison sentence had to be imposed for “punishment [and the] protection of the public” while noting he has two previous convictions for driving while under the influence of alcohol in the US. Sheriff Stirling jailed the disgraced pilot for 10 months.

5. Pilot jailed

An American airline pilot who was found to have alcohol in his system less than two hours before he was due to fly hundreds of passengers from Edinburgh to New York was jailed for 10 months on March 19. Captain Lawrence Russell Jr was caught with a half empty bottle of Jägermeister in his luggage during a search of his bags at Edinburgh Airport in June last year. The Delta Airlines pilot was immediately arrested by police and subsequently provided a sample that was said to be “not less than 49mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood”. The strict legal aviation limit is just 20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. In comparison, the legal alcohol limit for driving a vehicle in Scotland is 50mg in 100ml of blood. The 63-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of performing an aviation function while impaired due to drink or drugs. Sheriff Alison Stirling said a prison sentence had to be imposed for “punishment [and the] protection of the public” while noting he has two previous convictions for driving while under the influence of alcohol in the US. Sheriff Stirling jailed the disgraced pilot for 10 months. | Alexander Lawrie Photo: Alexander Lawrie

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A retired private school teacher who sexually assaulted two young sisters has escaped a jail sentence. Paul Carline - dubbed “Pervy Paul” by one of his victims - targeted the pair when they were aged between five and 12 years old by exposing himself and making vile sexual comments to them. Carline, 79, also crept into the bed of one of the youngsters and on a separate occasion fondled her breasts when he stayed over at the children’s Edinburgh home in the late 1990s. The abuse went unreported at the time but one victim decided to go to the police after undergoing therapy as an adult in 2018. Carline - who taught languages at the exclusive Rudolf Steiner school - denied the allegations but was found guilty following a three day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year. On March 20 he was sentenced to wear an electronic tag and stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 12 months. He will be supervised and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years. The OAP was also handed a conduct requirement where he cannot have any unsupervised contact with a female under the age of 16.

6. Retired teacher sexually assaulted sisters

A retired private school teacher who sexually assaulted two young sisters has escaped a jail sentence. Paul Carline - dubbed “Pervy Paul” by one of his victims - targeted the pair when they were aged between five and 12 years old by exposing himself and making vile sexual comments to them. Carline, 79, also crept into the bed of one of the youngsters and on a separate occasion fondled her breasts when he stayed over at the children’s Edinburgh home in the late 1990s. The abuse went unreported at the time but one victim decided to go to the police after undergoing therapy as an adult in 2018. Carline - who taught languages at the exclusive Rudolf Steiner school - denied the allegations but was found guilty following a three day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year. On March 20 he was sentenced to wear an electronic tag and stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 12 months. He will be supervised and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years. The OAP was also handed a conduct requirement where he cannot have any unsupervised contact with a female under the age of 16. | Alexander Lawrie Photo: Alexander Lawrie

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A 45-year-old was jailed on March 20 for a catalogue of sexual offences committed against four women in Edinburgh and East Lothian Gary Yuill, of Wallyford, East Lothian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after previously being found guilty by a jury of 21 offences, which included nine counts of rape. The offences were committed against four women in Haddington, Dunbar, Wallyford, and Edinburgh between 2004 and 2021. During his trial last month, the court heard how he terrified one of his victims after entering her home wearing a mask. The woman had fallen asleep on a sofa and awoke to find Yuill standing close to her. She said: "I opened my eyes and he was basically nose to nose with me. He had his ski mask and also had gloves on." Police first began investigating Yuill following a report of rape which was received from a woman in May 2021. This subsequently led to other victims being identified and the scale of Yuill’s offending being revealed. He was arrested and charged in June 2021.

7. Jailed for a catalogue of sexual offences

A 45-year-old was jailed on March 20 for a catalogue of sexual offences committed against four women in Edinburgh and East Lothian Gary Yuill, of Wallyford, East Lothian, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after previously being found guilty by a jury of 21 offences, which included nine counts of rape. The offences were committed against four women in Haddington, Dunbar, Wallyford, and Edinburgh between 2004 and 2021. During his trial last month, the court heard how he terrified one of his victims after entering her home wearing a mask. The woman had fallen asleep on a sofa and awoke to find Yuill standing close to her. She said: "I opened my eyes and he was basically nose to nose with me. He had his ski mask and also had gloves on." Police first began investigating Yuill following a report of rape which was received from a woman in May 2021. This subsequently led to other victims being identified and the scale of Yuill’s offending being revealed. He was arrested and charged in June 2021. | National World Photo: National World

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A 25-year-old man was sentenced on March 26 to a minimum of 20 years behind bars for the murder of a man in Bo’ness in September 2022. Daniel Gauld was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh for the murder of 62-year-old Douglas Struthers who he attacked at his home. Douglas Struthers, who lived at Barony Court in Bo’ness, was subjected to a ‘horrific attack’ by Gauld after he entered his home on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Mr Struthers was taken to the Royal infirmary of Edinburgh, where he died three days later. Detective Inspector Will Harley, senior investigating officer, said: “This was a particularly horrific attack by Gauld on a man who was a stranger to him. The family of Mr Struthers and a large number of people in the local community were affected by the extent of violence used by Gauld and our thoughts are with them all."

8. Bo’ness murder

A 25-year-old man was sentenced on March 26 to a minimum of 20 years behind bars for the murder of a man in Bo’ness in September 2022. Daniel Gauld was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh for the murder of 62-year-old Douglas Struthers who he attacked at his home. Douglas Struthers, who lived at Barony Court in Bo’ness, was subjected to a ‘horrific attack’ by Gauld after he entered his home on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Mr Struthers was taken to the Royal infirmary of Edinburgh, where he died three days later. Detective Inspector Will Harley, senior investigating officer, said: “This was a particularly horrific attack by Gauld on a man who was a stranger to him. The family of Mr Struthers and a large number of people in the local community were affected by the extent of violence used by Gauld and our thoughts are with them all." | Police Scotland Photo: Police Scotland

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