edinburgh murders 1980s edinburgh murders 1980s

When the casuals emerged in the 1980s, Edinburgh and, in particular, Hibs, had a vicious reputation.They still do. But James hadn't just wandered off. This is their story, Money Saving Edinburgh: the best deals and bargains in the Lothians, Edinburgh coronavirus news Facebook group, The notorious Edinburgh pub that was known for raucous gigs and wild fights. Alice . The State Library of Queensland has compiled a database from the British convict transportation registers of 123,000 of the estimated 160,000 convicts transported to Australia during the period 1787 to 1879. Welsh's scabrous novel is set in Leith, Edinburgh, in the mid-1980s, when heroin use there was just taking off. The principal source for information on crime and criminals is the records of the High Court of Justiciary, Scotland's supreme criminal court. Crime expert Professor David Wilson recounts the stories of murderer Dr Buck Ruxton in his latest . Two cabinet . The court also acts as a court of appeal from criminal proceedings in the sheriff (or inferior) courts. You can see evidence of the precautions Edinburgh took to protect the dead at Greyfriars Kirk and Canongate Kirk which became one of Burke and Hares favoured grave-robbing sites and you can still see the security bars on the tombs if you visit them today. The Grassmarket was the main location for executions which were carried out between 1660 and 1784 before the location was moved to the west end of the Luckenbooths. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined 295, Lee Johnson Hibs positive injury update on Kevin Nisbet following Aiden McGeady blow. Join him as he shares insider tips and personal experiences to help visitors find the best things to do in Scotland. Anyone with information in relation to Anns murder can contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. There were no antiretrovirals then, so a lot of them were dying. Don't forget your essential Scotland travel gear! According to Audit Scotland, there are more than 50,000 heroin users in Scotland, and waiting lists of up to two years for treatment. If you want to visit Rullion Green and the Pentland Hills take a look at this article: Guide to the Pentland Hills From Flotterstone to Turnhouse Hill. The crime: On February 12, 1993 two-year-old James Bulger went missing from outside a butcher's shop in the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside. Selections of franchise court records have been published by the Stair Society and the Scottish History Society. 'Guide to the National Archives of Scotland' (Edinburgh, 1996), Clarke, Tristram, 'Tracing your Scottish ancestors: the official guide (details of current edition are available on our Shop page). Young Robert was only in his early teens when he managed to accidentally set fire to his fathers house after lighting a candle one evening, with the flames burning the building to the ground in a raging inferno. It's true there were those, a few, who took the book and the film too much to heart, and saw glamour where they should have seen despair. It was exacerbated by rave culture "people were taking heroin to come down from the ecstasy," says Willie, a 42-year-old who began injecting heroin when he was a teenager, in about 1985 (he has been on methadone since Christmas) but heroin chic was not a concept that seems to have made many inroads. Unfortunately for the universities, the only way they could teach the inner workings of the human body was to dissect the corpses of the recently deceased, and with such a large demand these corpses were becoming hard to find. From the 19th century onwards most of the courts kept criminal records separately from civil case records, but in the earlier period you will often find these records mixed together. The Covenanters were a Scottish religious movement that fiercely maintained their Presbyterian beliefs as the one true religion in Scotland and they defiantly objected to the new form of worship that was being imposed on them by the king. The Cases - Homicides (1990 - 1999) BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 - present | Missing Persons The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides from 1990 - 1999, and are listed in chronological order. "It's a drug you take to take away pain, to put your life on hold, numb everything. Everyone uses everyone, and if you do build relationships it's for a common purpose, to get what you need. Meet the Edinburgh designer to the stars who built his brand out of nothing. I realised it was roughly a nine-hour drive with a ferry trip in between. And supply coincided with unprecedented receptivity. This collection, covering most years between 1867-1879 and 1888-1921 for males and 1901-1916 for females, is the first in a series of prison registers to be released on ScotlandsPeople. He did not know this picture was being taken. Edinburgh in the 1980s | Photographs by Graham MacIndoe British Culture Archive As a young punk from Broxburn in West Lothian, Graham MacIndoe started out on his creative path studying painting at Edinburgh College of Art. And, it emerged this week, they are dying fast, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Some say that the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's film, together with its humour and attractive lead (Ewan McGregor) gave addiction a gritty, sexy allure. It was higher than in 89.2% U.S. cities. That's just my own observation." As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. In that flat in Rose Street South Lane, a horrible triple murder in 1917 wiped out an entire family. By 1877 it was widespread among the middle classes (who could afford it). He chose heroin instead. If you are looking for information about your own conviction bear in mind that the we only receive trial records from sheriff courts once they are more than 25 years old. There was more supply a sudden influx of cheap heroin from Pakistan, which was welcomed, says Welsh, by the "big pool of heroin users up here". Life-27 years. This story is arguably the most famous tale of murder in Edinburgh and its been retold countless times in newspaper articles and even had a Holywood movie made about it a few years ago. Time stood still for the Ballantines in 1986, and it is still standing still, as Ann's murderer has never been brought to justice. Plans for the introduction of a workplace parking levy, which were further scrutinised by Edinburgh Council this week, are aimed at reducing the number of cars in the city centre. While the riot eventually ended, the anger behind it spread outside of Edinburgh till it grew into what became known as the Bishops Wars which in turn contributed to the civil wars that eventually tore through all three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. [8], Walker's conviction was upheld on appeal,[9] but the sentence was shortened to 27 years as Walker successfully argued in 2002 that he should not have been treated more harshly than other murderers. It's a very negative thing." The 2019 crime rate in Edinburgh, IN is 361 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.3 times higher than the U.S. average. Most people get to see the body or kiss the body if they want to. The pair would then present the body to the citys medical universities for dissection, at a considerable price and with offers of plenty more where that one came from. In the late 1980s and 1990s I lived in Edinburgh. Justice was swift and brutal in days gone by, as can be seen by the punishment inflicted on poor Robert Henderson in 1584. She said goodbye to her daughter as she always did: Ann lived in a flat in Polwarth, and Isobel could have no way of knowing that this would be the last time she saw her child, who was supposed to be spending Christmas with her parents. Jessie Earl. The exceptions are Kirkwall and Lerwick Sheriff Courts, whose records are held at Orkney and Shetland Archives respectively. [2], According to the prosecution at his trial, Corporal Andrew Walker, age 30, armed with a submachine gun that he had signed out from the armoury,[3] forced the trio to drive away from the bank. Choose a career. The peaceful Saint Giles and the Edinburgh rioters, The murder of the Covenanters at Rullion Green. As for the users themselves, they say there was little culture, not a scene as such. - Granton Railway 1960s-1980s - Granton Road Station - The Innocent Railway - Last Steam Trains Edinburgh area - Line to Leith North . Thirteen-year-old Alfred Evans was found in a vacant lot, his cold body shirtless and barefoot. "In reality [heroin addiction] is the furthest thing from that. As the cart trundled through the streets of Edinburghs Old Town, two passing joiners heard frantic banging and screeching coming from inside thecoffin. I helped run rehabilitation projects for people with HIV+, and those with mental health issues. She was extremely close to her mother, Isobel, who had Ann when she herself was just 18. As was customary for the time huge crowds came out to witness her public execution and the Grassmarket was filled with angry people baying for justice. When was the last execution in Edinburgh? "Culturally, a lot of people prefer depressing drugs like opiates heroin, Temazepam. Police later commented however that "cannot prove . Memories of streets, shops, transport, school, work and play. With the help of Scottish property expert Jean Johansson, the married couple were looking for a detached villa in Tala, Western Cyprus with an impressive budget of 260,000. Detective Chief Inspector David Pinkney said: The murder of Ann Ballantine was fully investigated by the then Lothian and Borders Police, with a report being sent to the Procurator Fiscal. I know of three or four deaths that wouldn't have happened [if it was still open]." Additionally, there are the books of adjournal, which contain copies of indictments with brief summaries of trial proceedings. Your first thought is to seek out where they got the heroin from that's how sad it is. ", The disaffected, heroin-addicted young men immortalised in Irvine Welsh's bestselling novel are now in their 40s. [7], Walker was found guilty of murder, the theft of the money, and attempting to pervert the course of justice for trying to smuggle the letter out of prison. In total over 50 Covenanters were killed by the troops of General Tam Dalziel, and 15 of them were hung, drawn, and quartered in the most brutal executions that Edinburgh had ever witnessed. "What they're saying is 'I'm no longer taking unacceptable drugs. It is not really something we want to look at.. Burgh records are not indexed. Creators Irvine Welsh Dean Cavanagh Stars Dougray Scott Joanna Vanderham Jamie Sives See production, box office & company info Watch on BritBox S1 with Prime Video Channels Add to Watchlist Added by 7.2K users In 1979, John R. Wall Jr., 22, of Hoover (near Logansport) was convicted of murder in the March 1979 slaying of his father and four other relatives. Out About Scotland also participates in affiliate programs with Awin, Get Your Guide, Booking.com, and other sites. Ann wouldnt just vanish without a word. Today, a single headstone memorializes the fate of the failed uprising at the edge of a small wood on Rullion Green. Angus Sinclair voluntarily gave a DNA sample to police in the mid-1990s - that led to convictions for the murders of . Choose a fucking big television. We also have a new Edinburgh coronavirus news Facebook group. 'The Records of the Proceedings of the Justiciary Court, Edinburgh, 1661-1678' (Scottish History Society, 1905). "I don't think that went past London fashion week, to be honest," says Mark, dismissively. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'outaboutscotland_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',687,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outaboutscotland_com-banner-1-0');There are enough unpleasant episodes in this citys history to fill an entire book, but Ive included just a few of my favourites in this post. But a lot of them will have hepatitis C that hasn't been diagnosed or treated and damages the liver. The Atlanta Child Murders Of The 1970s and 1980s. Crackdown on illegal streaming as Edinburgh police raid provider and make arrest. I would be happy to see him jailed.. Taylor, 62, is serving life for the 2000 murder of 16-year-old Leanne Tiernan - as well as a series of sex attacks. Similarly as records do not always survive, beware the temptation of concluding that there was no trial if you cannot find a precognition. The money was never recovered and is thought to be buried in the hills. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. "You just can't do that. Graham Ballantine told The Sun in 2016: We have a picture of him. Police forces across the UK took action on illegal streaming providers who have supplied services to over 500,000 customers. [4] After an initially successful career in the army, with three tours to Northern Ireland and a mention in dispatches,[4] he had been the subject of disciplinary penalties in the months before the robbery and murders. The main records from the Lord Advocate's Department nbsp are the precognitions (AD14-AD15). Cold. The Justices of the Peace courtsalso dealt with minor offences. "Ten years ago it was easy to get cannabis now you can get heroin just as easily." Edinburgh tourists baffled by 'unwelcoming' sign barring customers from pub. On a balmy summer day in July 1979, the first body linked to the Atlanta Child Murders case was discovered. Ifind it quite sad. Walker left several clues in the deep snow and was arrested after a three-day manhunt. In 1993, Tobin was convicted of attacking and raping two 14 year old girls at knifepoint in England. The criminal trials for individuals sentenced to transportation can be found in the papers of the High Court of Justiciary (above). We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Account & Lists Returns & Orders. Two East Lothian schoolgirls vanish from town sparking huge police search. Miss Dando, was . Pentland Hills triple killer Andrew Walker dies in care home, "Being prisons chief was tougher than SAS", "Widow's anger at mercy release of triple murderer", "Pentland Hills triple killer takes secret of buried Army payroll to the grave", "Scottish killer who hid bodies in Edinburgh Pentlands dies 10 years after prison release", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_Walker_(murderer)&oldid=1141780142, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Scotland, Scottish prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 19:26. He was aged 30 in 1986, would have to pass by Edinburgh and was a regular visitor to Glasgow where he sought prostitutes, according to former detective Chris Clark. white rabbit restaurant menu; israel journey from egypt to canaan map edinburgh photos 1980s. Information on prisoners sentenced to be transported can be found in the registers for the local prisons (see below) serving the courts where they were sentenced. He had this expression on his face. In the 1980s things changed drastically, for a number of reasons. There are different types of sheriff court trials. Young: The murders of William Bramlett and young coed Hillary Johnson were committed by Young who was stalking a former girlfriend. The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft is a database of Scottish witchcraft cases maintained by Edinburgh University. Log in / Join. In Thatcher's Britain "Scots were losers, young people were losers, the unemployed were losers," as Bell puts it. They immediately set to work to free the person trapped inside but when they broke it open, to their astonishment, the gasping Maggie Dickson miraculously rose up and howled, terrifying all who saw her. "I remember speaking to a community activist in Muirhouse and she was telling me how people had seen Trainspotting as amanual of how to behave," says Gordon Munro, a Leith city councillor. A yellow weather warning has been issued by the Met Office as forecasters expect freezing temperatures and wintry showers throughout throughout the capital and the Lothians next week. Loved by local drinkers, bikers and punk fans alike, Eric Brown's bar on Dalry Road was a rites of passage on a Saturday night in the 1970s - but its vibrant mix of clientele could often result in riotous scenes. You may also find statements by the accused and other papers produced as evidence, but case papers do not include transcripts of trials. On his release in 2004, he returned to Scotland. Your search results for murder: 169993 newspaper articles contained information about murder filtered by: Date from: 1st Jan 1950 - Date to: 31st Dec 1999 . Hutchinson, also known as the Mad Doctor or the Mad Master of Edinburgh Castle, developed such a wicked reputation that it is difficult to separate legend from fact. . Ann Ballantine's naked body was found wrapped in an old carpet in the Union Canal. William Burke was a giant of a man with powerful arms and unusually large hands which enabled him to commit his murders using a method now known as burking. Undoubtedly the best place in Scotland to learn about the juicy and gruesome tales of yesteryear is the city of Edinburgh, a medieval wonder that has survived hundreds of years of plague outbreaks, mob riots, and murders. A beloved Edinburgh pub is famous for its unique signage at its front doorwhich has divided tourists after a local shared a picture of it online. edinburgh photos 1980s. "It tells its own story you've got a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands. You go to a scheme just a few miles down the road from where I am just now, there's nothing there. Following upon consideration by Crown Counsel no further inquiries were instructed. Navigate: Home Regions of Scotland Edinburgh. A heavy metal fan, she was looking forward to attending an upcoming Alice Cooper concert. "She wanted to work with those less fortunate. Maggie Dickson, or half-hangit Maggie as she became known, was a fishwife who was tried and convicted for the murder of her newborn baby in 1724. Home Office Crime and Policing Analysis 1st Floor, Peel Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF Published 19 July 2012 Last updated 21 April 2016 + show all updates. Allan Massie (Singapura, 19 de outubro de 1938) um historiador, jornalista e escritor britnico.. Cresceu em Aberdeenshire na Esccia e foi educado na Inglaterra estudando em Glenalmond e no Trinity College, em Cambridge, onde se formou e passou a lecionar Histria.Tambm morou e lecionou durante vrios anos na Itlia.Atualmente resenhista-chefe do The Scotsman, colunista do Daily . Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; best perks for running killer dbd. and talking to those who were there at the time it becomes clear that he was only describing what was going on, what he knew, what he still knows, because among the men dying now are boys he met then. Maggie was led crying and pleading in front of the roaring crowd to the hangmans noose, but her desperate screams for mercy fell on deaf ears as she was dropped through the gallows floor. Telling Private Thomson to drive along a quiet track to a reservoir, he shot Major Cunningham through the head. Witchcraft was a criminal offence between 1563 and 1736. Most of the people I know, that's why they take it. "I don't want to stereotype," says Welsh, "but it's more cost-effective to inject [heroin] than to burn it in foil, when you're burning it into the air, effectively." The Easter Road veteran has struggled with injuries this campaign and after a short return to action, he picked up another knock and will be out for the remainder of the season. The witches in this punishment would do one of two things, float or drown. I will never forget it he looked pure evil. Something went wrong, please try again later. However, the High Court of Justiciary records include material on Jacobite treason trials, 1748-9 (JC7). 11,323 1960-1969 11,841 1970-1979 33,439 1980-1989 85,211 1990-1999 . They could talk about anything. News By Jane Hamilton 07:30, 17 MAY 2021 British Serial Killer Peter Tobin is now suspect of the unsolved killing of Earl, as he lived in Eastbourne in the early 1980s. Hewas sitting with our Ann at a family function. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. We are adding all case papers from 1800 onwards to our catalogue. A search party was quickly sent out which managed to capture Robert on the same day and before long he was back in the city ready for sentencing. "Dundee and Edinburgh were the two main hotspots," says Mark. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated. For details of the 1977 Worlds End murders the most famous Edinburgh murder case in living memory youll find a complete explanation on Wikipedia. '", And partly again there is naivety, exacerbated by a twisted social morality. Well-known at the time for being a promiscuous troublemaker, she was rumoured to have engaged in a passionate affair with a much younger man in 1723. Choose your friends. But if someone does know something then please come forward please put us out of our misery. The wood was set alight and the victims were left to die in agony usually with a baying crowd watching the spectacle. If you want to see evidence of how scared the women were of being called witches you only need to walk down The Royal Mile and take a look at the old fountain near John Knoxs House. The most famous executions were of William Burke (of the Burke and Hare graverobbers) in 1829 and William Douglas, the 6th Earl of Douglas who was beheaded at Edinburgh Castle in 1440. Set twenty years after the original movie, both in real-time and in the movie, the main character Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns home to find his old friends including Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) as they all fall back into their old ways from the original 90s movie. Nilson carried out a murderous spree of near-unparalleled savagery during the late. "In Scotland we've always gone for the dangerous hit. [8], Walker was in debt at the time of the murders. There's always been an idea of two types of Scots those who went to London and made it big, and the second-raters who stayed home. Knives and black masks found in Idaho murder case. 5 10 15 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 ", "I don't think it's the kind of drug you take to be happy," says Mikey, a 35-year-old who started using heroin 10 years ago and has tried to kill himself several times. These contain lists of the accused and depositions of prisoners and witnesses. The published volumes are fully indexed and available for consultation in the Historical Search Room, as well as in good reference libraries. Finding records of individual trials depends on the date. In 1828 the infamous William Burke and William Hare carried out a series of grisly murders in an attempt to make some easy money in a crime spree that shocked the nation. Crime Man charged in connection with death of Neil Canney in Greenock A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Neil Canney in Greenock. He is contemptuous of the Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie's term for the Trainspotting era a "wasted decade": "It's more than a wasted decade it's been a wasted 35 years." Republishing any content, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Periodic reviews have been carried out in respect of this crime however it remains an unresolved case.. the mafia controls everything through local and international networks like an octopus, anyone who tries to bring them down pays the ultimate price. "Lots of people were injecting. In the 2008 interview, Isobel said that she hoped the man will "get banged up and rot in hell, says Isobel. Discover more places to visit in Edinburgh with: The Best Places to Visit in Edinburgh Ultimate Visitor Guide. All rights reserved Out About Scotland 2023. "You've got psychological scars, physical scars in terms of chronic poor health, and a lot of them are living in poverty and deprivation wrap all that together and it's not exactly rocket science. Perhaps even worse than being burnt alive was the punishment known as the breaking wheel, a torture device that was recorded as being used at Edinburghs Mercat Cross in 1591. An abundance of archive footage contextualises the events within the broader currents of the 1980s, all accompanied by well chosen music from the same era. For a selection of images relating to crime and criminals from our collections, visit our image gallery. "If you go to get safe equipment you know you'll get busted.". The last time Isobel saw Ann was on November 18, 1986. Then join our fun and friendly Facebook groups: All About Edinburgh (general news), Edinburgh Traffic (travel news), Money Saving Edinburgh: the best deals and bargains in the Lothians, Tasty Edinburgh (food and drink), Edinburgh Loves Pets and Edinburgh Back In Time. Drugs counsellor Rowdy Yates says police activity in Edinburgh in the early 1980s was "ruthless". The rate for 2021 is based on the number of murders thus far this year. At the end of his trial, the police officers who brought him to justice spoke of their belief that he may have been responsible for other unsolved murders, including the 1992 murder of Yvonne Fitt, a Bradford prostitute. "I just see another lost generation there may be new substances, cheap alcohol and such but I think we'll see a modern version of the Trainspotting generation. The mysterious case of Steven Brown: remembering the unsolved East Lothian murder 20 years on, Monument to a murderer: why this Edinburgh park holds a memorial to a killer, while has his victim been forgotten, Sean Flynn appears in Edinburgh court charged with murder of his mother Louise Tiffney, Edinburgh Castle knife killer could be moved from maximum security and freed in 'a few short years', according to former detective Chris Clark, The tragic meaning behind this pile of stones in Holyrood Park you've passed a hundred times, Nearly 50 years ago, five Edinburgh school pupils froze to death in the Cairngorms. People from all walks of life were executed in Edinburgh over the years, from Covenanters (a persecuted religious group) to thieves and heretics. I'm very bitter," she said. The government was basically creating demand." The device was used between 1564 and 1710 and over the course of those 145 years it claimed the lives of 150 people. If you go to a middle-class district in Edinburgh there are cafes and bars, people have money and jobs. The letter was confiscated by the guards, and Lowden was later called as a prosecution witness at Walker's trial. If you need to show both spent and unspent convictions you should contact your local police force and make a 'subject access' request for this information under the General Data Protection Regulation. Our catalogue lists the surviving burgh court records and shows whether they are held by us or by local archives. Murder and Manslaughter. Ill Met by Gaslight: Five Edinburgh Murders ( 1980) The Death of Men ( 1981) One Night in Winter ( 1984) Let the Emperor Speak: A Novel of Caesar Augustus ( 1987) The Hanging Tree ( 1990) These Enchanted Woods ( 1993) The Ragged Lion ( 1994) King David ( 1995) Antony ( 1997) Nero's Heirs ( 1999) Caligula ( 2003) The Thistle and the Rose ( 2005) The mother of a young woman murdered by an obsessive ex-boyfriend urged other victims of stalking to speak out and not suffer in silence as her daughter's killer was jailed for life. Aged 22, disappeared around 15 May 1980. The publication 'Registers of the Privy Council' contain names of covenanters and others banished to the North American colonies in the 17th century, in particular the third series, volumes VI-X, 1678-1685. During this horrifying punishment, prisoners were tied to an upright stake that was surrounded by a thick carpet of dried wood. Craig Neil is a travel writer from Edinburgh with a passion for exploring the hidden gems of Scotland. Edinburgh wonderkid striker has to work extra hard to overcome racism in Scottish football. The records are mainly in a separate series (our reference RH11) some of which have been digitised and are available on Virtual Volumes in our search rooms. Drug-related fatalities increased by 26% from 2007 to 2008 there is now up to one every four days in the Lothians. Youll see the step there is worn away on the left side, while the right side is almost unmarked. "Scottishness is increasingly seen as a second-class thing. We hold many records relating to crime and criminals. At the time Edinburgh was becoming the foremost centre of medicine in Europe, with educated men coming from far and wide to pay large sums of money to receive the medical training that would one day turn them into fully qualified doctors. In 2017, to mark the 30th anniversary of Ann's death, Isobel spoke to the Daily Record about her daughter's killer: "He's probably with his family and Ann is six-feet under. The gruesome tale revolves around Edinburghs body snatchers in the 19th century, and its a story that still fascinates visitors to this day. Other prison registers are found in sheriff court records: Please note that we do not make speculative searches through prison records for an individual even for a given census year. Contact details for all of the sheriff courts can be found on the Scottish Courts website. In this website I share my experiences of visiting the top Scottish attractions along with travel tips and advice to help you plan your own sightseeing tour. Most men and women who appeared before the Council were of some social standing, rather than ordinary criminals, but the Council also heard cases of people accused of witchcraft and seditious practices. 4) Leonard J. The 37-year-old was . The gruesome discovery was made on 21 January 1987, and sparked fears that a serial killer was stalking the streets of the Scottish capital, especially after it emerged that her killer may have kept Ann's body for some time before it was found.