Man in court following Edinburgh 'machete murder bid' on Mark Richardson friend
A man has appeared in court following the alleged 'attempted murder' of one of Edinburgh gangster Mark Richardson's top associates.
Anthony Brown, 49, was arrested and charged after police executed a warrant in Blantyre at around 9.45am on July 4. This comes after David McMillian, 54, was allegedly attacked with machetes outside his Pitcairn Grove home in Edinburgh on May 22, reports the Daily Record.
Brown appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday facing charges of assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, attempted murder and being in possession of a blade. He made no plea, was committed for further examination and remanded in custody to appear again at the court within eight days.
Two men have already appeared in court over the incident. Arran Reid, 26, and Joshua Stewart, 20, made their first appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, June 17. Reid was charged with assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, attempted murder, reset, possession of blade, attempt to defeat ends of justice, possession of firearm and ammunition.
Stewart was charged with assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, attempted murder, reset and attempt to defeat the ends of justice. Both made no plea and were remanded in custody. Police Scotland also confirmed on Friday that they had made a further arrest in connection with Operation Portaledge, the investigation into gang-related incidents in the East and West of the country, bringing the total number to 52.
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Officers also arrested a 22-year-old man on Thursday, July 3, in connection with wilful fire-raising to two vehicles on Campion Road and Niddrie Marischal Crescent in Edinburgh on June 9. He was released pending further enquiries.
Police launched a probe after a Transit van was targeted on Niddrie Marischal Crescent in the capital. Minutes prior, a Range Rover was torched outside another home on nearby Campion Road. This is the second arrest in connection with this incident.
A 17-year-old was also arrested and charged in connection with the incidents last week. He was released on an undertaking and is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.
Dubai-based gangster Ross McGill's faceless and frightening enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ), claimed responsibility for the attacks in a video shared shortly after the attacks. The footage showed flames bursting out of the Range Rover and the Ford Transit van. In one clip a hooded figure can be seen standing with an accelerant canister before he backs away from the fireball.
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The video played the song Two Tribes by 80s pop group Frankie Goes to Hollywood and ended with emojis of a black pawn chess piece and a sand timer appearing side by side. The Transit van was blown up at a home linked to Richardson's pal Paddy Beatson, on Niddrie Marischal Crescent which had been attacked twice previously in recent months.
The attacks are part of a series of violent incidents across Scotland after a major turf war kicked off in March. The ongoing feud was sparked after Richardson's men bought £500k of cocaine from McGill with fake cash.
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