Safer Communities

Arrests following investigations into deaths

Police Scotland has made a number of arrests following investigations into suspicious deaths during July. Each death is unique with its own challenges, considerations and each with a profound impact on individuals, families and loved ones and our communities across Scotland. Our detectives work closely with local police officers, and forensic colleagues, to bring a high level of professional practice, compassion, competence and commitment to each investigation.

During recent weeks, these investigations included:

A 20-year-old man arrested and charged in connection with the death of 39-year-old Dr Fortune Gomo, who was found seriously injured in the South Road area of Dundee on Saturday, 5 July. Despite the best efforts of the paramedics who attended, Dr Gomo was pronounced dead at the scene. Kyle Rattray appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court charged in connection with murder and was remanded in custody.

Two men, aged 25 and 28, were arrested and charged in connection with the death of Adam Nevin in Broxburn, West Lothian. Officers attended at a property on McCann Avenue on Friday, 4 July, following a disturbance and three men were taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment. On Sunday, 6 July, Mr Nevin died within hospital. Connor Jenkinson and Shane Jenkinson appeared at Livingston Sheriff Court on Wednesday, 16 July, 2025 charged in connection with murder. Connor Jenkinson was granted bail. Shane Jenkinson was remanded in custody.

On Saturday, 5 July, the body of 45-year-old Pamela Wilson was found within an address in Bellshill, Lanarkshire. A 34-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with her death. William Leckie appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court charged in connection with murder and was remanded in custody.

A 40-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the death of 42-year-old Mark Blackwood, who was found seriously injured in a property in Ayr on Saturday, 5 July. Mark was pronounced dead at the scene. Jade Bell appeared at Ayr Sherrif Court on Friday, 18 July, charged in connection with murder and was remanded in custody.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of 24-year-old Dylan Geddes who died in hospital having been found injured in the Pennan Road area of Aberdeen on Thursday, 10 July. Brandon Booth appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Monday, 14 July, charged in connection with murder and was remanded in custody.

Two men, aged 46 and 34, have been arrested in connection with the death of 25-year-old Austin Ironside in Aberdeen. Austin was found injured on Skene Street in the city on Sunday, 3 August. He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he later died on Tuesday, 5 August. The 46-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Thursday, 14 August, charged in connection with murder and was remanded. The 34-year-old also appeared at the same court on Friday, 15 August, on the same charge.

Non-recent murder investigation - Shona Stevens

Shona Stevens, 31, was found on a footpath located near to the rear of Alder Green in the Bourtreehill Park area of Irvine on 10 November, 1994. The mother-of-one died in hospital a few days later and despite a significant police investigation at the time, no one was charged with Shona’s murder.

Following a review by Police Scotland and the Crown Office, a man was arrested and charged in connection with Shona's death. On Monday, 28 July, 67-year-old Fraser Kilpatrick, from Glasgow, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded.

Violence against officers

During the early hours of Sunday, 3 August 2025, calls were received reporting concern for a man in Greenock. Officers traced a male in the East India Harbour area where a disturbance took place, an officer was assaulted and the man made off in a dinghy. The officer received treatment for a stab wound at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow and has since been discharged. On Monday, 4 August, Jake Barrett appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Monday charged with attempted murder and theft. The 31-year-old made no plea and was remanded in custody.

Around 1.20am on Monday, 28 July, 2025, an officer was in attendance to assist a member of the public on Herries Avenue when he was struck by a car. The officer was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. On Thursday, 31 July, 26-year-old Martin McGroary appeared at Dumfries Sheriff Court on eight charges including attempted murder and road traffic offences. He made no plea and was remanded.

Operation Portaledge

Extensive enquiries by a dedicated team of officers from our Specialist Crime Division, with support from a number of local divisions are ongoing as part of the investigation into targeted attacks in the East and West of the country and the number of arrests made in connection with Operation Portaledge is now 55.

I want to again thank the public for their continued support. It’s vital when it comes to tackling serious organised crime, preventing violence and getting justice for victims.

Serious and organised crime - sentencing

On Friday, 15 August, six men were collectively sentenced to more than 100 years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday for serious and organised crime offences.

Michael Heeps, Lee Ridgway, John Murray, Dale Bauld, Damien Mullen and Ryan McGovern had been convicted of numerous incidents including attempted murder, wilful fire-raising and attempting to pervert the course of justice in Edinburgh and Midlothian.

I want to thank the officers who worked on this investigation, as well as our partners in forensic services and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service. I also want to thank the public for their support throughout our enquiries.

Those involved in these targeted attacks showed complete disregard for the safety of the local communities. Violence is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

These sentences illustrate Police Scotland's commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce's national strategy.

Human trafficking operations

Two major human trafficking operations have taken place in Glasgow and Dundee in the last month.

Search warrants were executed at a number of properties across two days of action, with seven people arrested in connection with human trafficking and drug offences, linked to organised crime. A quantity of cocaine was recovered in Dundee and evidence of multiple cannabis cultivations seized in Glasgow.

Trafficking, exploitation and illegal drugs are a blight on our communities and we are committed to disrupting the activities of organised crime groups and making Scotland a hostile environment for them to operate within.

We will continue target criminals who abuse, control and exploit vulnerable people, and work closely with our partners to bring offenders to justice and provide support to victims.

Terrorism conviction

On Wednesday, 30 July, 18-year-old Felix Winter was sentenced to six years imprisonment at the High Court in Glasgow having pled guilty to breach of the peace, with an accompanying racial aggravation, and a separate but related offence under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Winter was a member of an online pro-Nazi group and planned to carry out acts of violence involving firearms, explosive devices and poison against pupils and teachers at a school.

The conviction followed a complex and fast-moving investigation and I want to thank our counter terrorism and local policing officers for their skill and professionalism.

The investigation underlines the important of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme, which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism.

Proscription of Palestine Action

On Saturday, 5 July, 2025 an order came into effect which proscribes Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, making it illegal to be a member of, or invite support, for the group. This includes wearing clothing or carrying any item in public in such a way as to arouse suspicion that they are a member of, or a supporter of a proscribed organisation.

Police Scotland is committed to ensuring that rights to peaceful protest are protected and officers will continue to engage with those engaged in demonstrations and protests.

We continue to work closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and where officers consider there is a sufficiency of evidence, they submit reports to the Procurator Fiscal who will then consider whether there is enough evidence in law and decide what action, if any, to take in the public interest.

Operation Roll

Over 7,000 police officers were mobilised for Operation Roll 2; the policing operation for the visit of the President of the United States. It included local, national and specialist officers from Police Scotland as well as colleagues from UK police forces and the military.

The visit took place from Friday 25 July until Tuesday 29 July 2025 and covered other notable figures meeting the US President here, including the European Commission President, Prime Minister and First Minister. It was one of the biggest operations in Police Scotland’s history.

Demonstrations and protests took place across the country, including in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with only a very small number of criminal justice outcomes. Protests were handled proportionately and effectively.

Our priority was keeping the President safe and a policing plan was in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption.

Officers and staff who took part in the operation have been asked to complete an online form as part of our structured debrief, and we've had over 800 responses so far. We want to capture organisational learning and good practice as well as apply any quick time learning to current major events.

This was a significant policing operation and the cost is being discussed with the Scottish Government.

Operation Oclate

A large policing operation was established to support the visit of the Vice President of the United States. The visit took place between Wednesday, 13 August and Sunday, 17 August and involved officers and staff from local and national resources as well as some colleagues from the UK who supported us as part of mutual aid arrangements.

I want to acknowledge the support from our partners in Ayrshire, particularly Ayrshire Road Alliance and East Ayrshire Council for the provision of a staging post for our officers.

The costs from this operation will form part of discussions around Operation Roll 2.

Tall Ships, Aberdeen

Officers supported the Tall Ships Races as they docked in Aberdeen between 19 and 22 July. Local policing and specialist resources supported the event to ensure the safety of visitors and the local community, with more than 400,000 visits by members of the public.