Trial date set for man accused of murdering Bradley Welsh

A JUDGE has fixed a date for the trial of a man who denies murdering T2 Trainspotting actor Bradley Welsh at his Edinburgh home.

Floral tributes for Bradley Welsh

Lord Beckett arranged on Monday for Sean Orman, 29, to go on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in April 2021.

Orman is alleged to have murdered Mr Welsh on April 17 last year by firing a loaded shotgun at him at an address in the city's Chester Street.

It is also alleged that he previously evinced malice and ill will towards the gym boss outside his home.

Bradley Welsh

Mr Welsh, 48, was found wounded at the entrance to his basement apartment following a gym training session. A neighbour he had spoken to seconds earlier tried to save his life with CPR but he was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

His death prompted a massive outpouring of sympathy for Mr Welsh, who appeared in Trainspotting 2 portraying a gangster, his partner and their two children.

Orman also denied the attempted murder of another man at his home in Edinburgh a month earlier.

He is charged with assaulting David McMillan,50, to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life in the murder bid on March 13 last year at an address in Pitcairn Grove.

It is alleged that while acting with others unknown to the prosecutor and with faces masked he repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a machete or similar instrument.

Orman is also charged with assaulting Mr MacMillan’s son, also David,24, at the same place and date by striking him on the body with a machete or similar instrument.

At a procedural hearing on Monday, defence counsel Ian Duguid QC told Lord Beckett: “He maintains his plea of not guilty.”

The Crown has brought a total of 15 charges against Orman on the indictment, including an attempt to defeat the ends of justice following the attempted murder on March 13 by setting fire to an Audi A5 car at Harperrig Way, in Edinburgh, while acting with others, in a bid to destroy evidence.

He also faces charges of resetting stolen cars on various dates and possession of heroin and diazepam on April 22 at Lanark Road, in Edinburgh.

Orman is also alleged on that date to have failed to stop for a uniformed police officer on the city bypass.

He is also charged with dangerous driving on the same date by driving in excess of speed limits and on the opposing carriageway at streets in the city, including an allegation that he drove at speeds of up to 123 mph on the bypass while being directed to stop by a pursuing police vehicle.

Orman followed proceedings via a video link today as Lord Beckett fixed the hearing.

Lord Beckett said: “I will set the trial date for April 19 2021 at the High Court in Edinburgh.”

Lord Beckett also fixed another procedural hearing to take place in the case on March 1 2021, also at the High Court in Edinburgh.

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