Edinburgh crime news: Balaclava-clad gang target motorbike instructor and search for Peter Coshan's body continues

A cross-border body search and an attack by balaclava-clad youths were among the biggest crime stories in Edinburgh this week.

The search for the body of former Fettes College teacher Peter Coshan continued this week and police announced they had begun searching the countryside on the Scotland-England border.

The 75-year-old retired biology teacher was reported missing last month, and a week later, police said they believed he had been killed.

Since then, Paul Black, 63, and Paul McNaughton,27, have been arrested and charged with his murder.

On August 31, police said they believed Dr Coshan’s body may have been dumped in woodland on the Scotland-England border and photos showed them combing the countryside for clues.

They also made an appeal to trace a distinctive car which was seen in the area.

Former pupils of Dr Coshan have now launched a petition to have him posthumously awarded for his efforts as a teacher and leader of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

A motorcycle instructor in the Capital was set upon by group of youths in balaclavas as they try to kick him off his bike at the start of the week.

Edinburgh crime news: Here is a round up of the crime and court stories from the Capital and Lothians this week

Fraser, who works for Two Wheels in the Capital, was out with a client when a group of youths on electric bikes came out of a junction and almost hit them.

He explained: "All four of them then began to attack me, kicking out at me and my bike trying to knock me off, shouting “GET HIM OFF, GET HIM OFF”.

Superintendent Sam Ainslie commented: “Around 1.20pm on Monday, 29 August 2022, we were called to a report of four male youths on electric motorbikes riding recklessly in the Peffermill Road area of Edinburgh, with their behaviour hindering a one to one motorcycle training session.

"Notwithstanding obvious road safety concerns, the behaviour of these youths understandably alarmed both the trainee rider and instructor.

“Thankfully no-one was hurt and I wish to reassure the public that this is an isolated incident.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and a criminal investigation has been launched, with enquiries ongoing to trace the youths responsible.”

Angry residents in Musselburgh staged a protest after a sex offender was housed on their street.

Around 20 homeowners carrying homemade banners protested against Graham Brown being housed near to them.

Brown had been convicted for possessing indecent images of children at a recent hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Chris Dickson placed Brown on the Sex Offenders Register and deferred sentence for reports to be prepared to next month.

On Monday evening, a mother and son were attacked in Musselburgh.

Police have called the incident an unprovoked assault and have released CCTV footage in order to identify someone they believe will help with enquiries.

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland by calling 101 and quoting incident number 1675 of the 18th of August 2022.

A man who has repeatedly denied being a wanted fugitive claims he is being tortured in prison and has been punched in the face by officers.

The 35-year-old insists his name is Arthur Knight, but US prosecutors believe he is Nicholas Rossi, a man wanted for a series of sexual assaults and two rape charges in the state of Utah.

The man appeared by videolink from HMP Edinburgh at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen mask.

A 48-year-old man has been charged after a teenage boy was racially abused at a youth football game in the Capital.

The incident took place at a game between Edinburgh City 2009s and Currie Star 2009s at Malleny Park in Balerno on Sunday, August 21.

Thirteen-year-old Lucas MacDonald, who was playing in the game, alleged that an adult man made “a racist monkey gesture” from the touchline.

An Edinburgh pub was daubed with ‘scab’ graffiti just hours after staff at the venue were seen picking up litter that had piled up as a result of the bin strike.

Biddy Mulligans, a popular Irish bar in the heart of the historic Grassmarket, appears to have been targeted by the vandals overnight.

It comes as a major clean-up operation has begun in Edinburgh as waste and cleansing services resume after nearly two weeks of strike action by workers.