Top cop speaks out following the death of Bellshill woman
Pamela Wilson was found deceased inside an address on Blairholm Drive in Bellshill at around 7.45am this weekend.
READ MORE: Probe into man's 'suspicious' death as detectives conduct 'extensive enquiries'
A 34-year-old man has since been arrested and charged in connection with her death.
He is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on today, July 7.
Uniformed officers remain in the area, and residents are encouraged to approach them with any concerns.
READ MORE: Probe launched into 'unexplained' death after Glasgow street taped off
Chief Inspector Rebecca Gregson has since spoken out following the sad passing, describing it as a "shock to the local community."
She went on to reassure locals that there is an experienced group of investigators working on the case.
READ MORE: Investigation launched into 'unexplained' death of woman
Area Commander, Chief Inspector Rebecca Gregson said: 'We are aware that the death of Pamela Wilson will be a shock to our local community.
'My thoughts are with Pamela's family and friends at this time.
'I would like to confirm that an experienced group of detectives is working on this case, and a man has been arrested and charged.
"I would also like to reassure everyone that uniformed officers are in the area and anyone with concerns can speak to them."
(Image: Robert Perry)
People have been leaving tributes to Pamela since the sad news of her passing broke over the weekend.
Images show Celtic scarves and a top tied to the fence alongside bunches of flowers.
A police car is also seen stationed outside the property and the house remained taped off.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Lost heirs could miss out on inheritance after BBC intervention
Thousands of estates worth an estimated £1.6bn are going unclaimed after the Government removed from public view a list of people who died without wills, heir hunters have warned. For decades, the Treasury has published the bona vacantia list – Latin for 'ownerless goods' – allowing heirs to trace property and assets left by distant relatives. Last April, law firm Weightmans estimated the total value of the list to be £1.67bn, based on an average UK property price of £281,913. But the list, which contained 5,770 unclaimed estates, was taken offline on July 10 following a BBC investigation. BBC podcast The Grave Robbers, that aired the previous day, revealed a Hungarian crime syndicate submitted fake wills to obtain homes that were later sold to suspected accomplices and even used as cannabis farms. The Ministry of Justice has not confirmed when the list will be published online again. Heir hunters – private investigators who trace next of kin in return for a share of the estate – have now told The Telegraphthe move could prevent lawful heirs receiving their inheritance. 'It's a knee-jerk reaction that doesn't actually address the problem – it only makes it worse,' said Hector Birchwood, head of international research at Celtic Research, a Welsh heir-hunting firm. Having the list online allowed investigators to flag suspicious claims to the authorities, he added. More importantly, Mr Birchwood said, removing the list will deprive the public of their lawful inheritance. The heir-hunting niche gained prominence through the BBC series Heir Hunters, which aired until 2018 and frequently featured Mr Birchwood's firm. After 30 years, unclaimed estates are absorbed by the Treasury, except those from Cornwall and the historic county of Lancashire, which pass to the Royal family. 'Obviously it's a problem if estates are going unclaimed, but if you're the Government, you just absorb them into the Crown Estate and the Treasury's coffers,' said Mr Birchwood. Carol Daly, 59, from Dublin, discovered in May 2023 that she, her siblings and other relatives were entitled to around £5,000 each from Ellen Tingle, her grandmother's English cousin who died intestate nine years earlier at the age of 91. She told The Telegraph: 'It's people's entitlement they're taking away, because if that list wasn't available, the money would just go to the Government. I don't agree with it being taken offline.' For families with an estranged relative, the bona vacantia list may be the only way they ever learn a loved one has died. That was the case for Jason Cao, 51, whose older sister, Huong Lan Cao, had grown up in an English orphanage 6,000 miles from home, after being brought to the UK aged 12 on a programme for Vietnamese children to study abroad. Even after Mr Cao, his brother and mother moved to join her in England, his sister led a reclusive life, becoming increasingly solitary after her long-term partner died in 1999. 'Although she chose to be alone, she was very much loved by our family,' he said. 'She knew where we lived, she had a key to our house, and she would visit us. But then there was a period when she disappeared for a couple of years. She would just turn up out of the blue. 'She didn't use a phone or computer. She didn't want us to know where she lived, so we had no way to contact her.' But in 2022, she began visiting often. 'We spent an amazing summer with her,' he said. 'We had family come over from America too. It was the most time we'd spent with her since she moved to England. 'It turns out that was her last summer alive.' The family hadn't heard from her for a year when, in May 2023, he received a letter from Mr Birchwood telling him his sister had died. 'I can still remember the feeling. I opened the letter, not knowing who it was from, and the shock … I can see that moment now in my head – when I learnt that my sister had died, and that she had died quite a while ago, alone, in her room.' Her remains were found in her flat on Feb 15, 2023, but she may have died up to six months earlier, Mr Cao was told. She was 64. It was only after her death that he was able to visit her flat. 'We live in Notting Hill and it turned out she lived just 10 minutes away. I've walked past the building so many times, and never knew,' he said. A private person, Mr Cao said he only agreed to speak to The Telegraph to highlight the importance of the bona vacantia (BV) list. 'Without the BV list, we'd still not know that my sister had died. To be able to tell my mum – so she could have closure – that's information I would have paid for. In fact, it was the reverse. We inherited money. 'But if it hadn't been for Hector, my mum would still be asking, 'Where's your sister?' And I wouldn't have an answer.' In 2024–25, the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department reported £67m in net income from unclaimed estates, down from £77m the year before. A Telegraph analysis revealed that, at the time it was taken offline, the bona vacantia list contained 128 estates from individuals who died in 1995 or earlier, meaning they are likely to pass imminently to the Treasury. The list included names, birth and death dates and places, and marital status – but not the value of the estate. A breakdown showed 1,934 unclaimed estates in London, followed by 275 in the West Midlands and 221 in West Yorkshire. The most common surnames of the deceased were Smith (99 estates), Jones (55) and Brown (45). In England and Wales, heirs up to and including half-first cousins may submit a claim to an estate on the bona vacantia list to the Government Legal Department, supplying evidence of their relationship to the deceased. A Ministry of Justice spokesman told The Telegraph: 'We recognise the difficulties the website's removal causes for those affected but this is an important measure while a fraud investigation is underway. ' Probate fraud is incredibly serious, and it is vital that we work with the relevant agencies to support ongoing investigations into alleged fraudulent activity to ensure criminals feel the full force of the law.'
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
What Neil Lennon told ex-Celtic star Paddy McCourt about the ordeal of having bullets sent to him in post
He and another team mate were targeted whilst playing for Celtic WARNING SHOT What Neil Lennon told ex-Celtic star Paddy McCourt about the ordeal of having bullets sent to him in post Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Celtic winger Paddy McCourt has opened up on the moment he was sent bullets in the post - and how his manager Neil Lennon helped him through it. Lennon was in his first spell as Hoops manager when he was the target of a similar attack in January 2011. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 Paddy McCourt in action during his time at Celtic Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow Just days later McCourt, from Derry in Northern Ireland, was on the receiving end of a similar sick threat. A third Northern Irishman at the club at that time, Niall McGinn, was also targeted. The envelope addressed to McCourt was found by staff at a Royal Mail sorting office in the east end of Glasgow on January 12 2011. He admits that Lennon's calmness in the face of the threats helped him too stay calm, particularly given his family were panicking. What made them even more worried was the fact they were back in Ireland at the time, with the bullets having been sent from a Northern Ireland postcode. Speaking on the Let Me Be Frank podcast, McCourt said: "At the time Lenny was the manager and he'd obviously suffered pretty high profile incidents like that before. "So having him there I had the ability to speak to him about it and his experiences on it, and you know he was pretty calm with it. "That helped me become calm with it and you know, it was just one of them things. "Thankfully it was a bit of a storm in a tea cup and nothing ever came from it and it seemed to disappeared pretty quickly. "But I think what he said was strange, you know, it was a strange thing to happen. Edouard to return and Schmeichel's last year at Celtic Plus Munteanu LATEST "And it was difficult at the time because my family were still obviously back in Ireland like my mum, my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. "My mum was pretty worried and stuff, but, as I say, thankfully it went away quite as it came." 2 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Police Scotland warns sexual predators to 'get help or get caught'
The laws, part of the Online Safety Act, come into effect on Friday, July 25. They require tech companies to take steps to protect children from illegal content and activities such as child sexual abuse, controlling or coercive behaviour, extreme pornography, and intimate image abuse. This warning from the force follows the announcement by Police Scotland's Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation unit that, from April 2024 to July 2025, it conducted 863 investigations resulting in 604 arrests, with measures taken to protect 815 children. Read more: Celtic outcast poised for surprise move to club in 'big five league' Detective Superintendent Nicola McGovern said: "Children are increasingly using games, apps, sites and streaming services and living more of their lives online. "That means it's never been easier for strangers to connect with children and on some platforms, it can take just 30 seconds for a predatory adult to contact a child. "Online child sexual abuse and exploitation through technology is an increasing problem in Scotland and officers from our National Child Abuse Investigation Unit work tirelessly to prevent children becoming victims and we will use all means at our disposal to search for and identify offenders. "Any measures that protect children online should be welcomed and our deterrence campaign work with partners gives us the chance to prevent abuse before it happens, by diverting potential perpetrators from committing offences." Police Scotland is also re-launching its "Get Help or Get Caught" online child sexual abuse prevention campaign. This initiative, in partnership with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland's Stop It Now service, offers anonymous advice and support to prevent offending. The child protection charity has partnered with Police Scotland since 2018 to run campaigns targeting those who pose the highest risk of harm to children. Stuart Allardyce, director of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland, said: "The reasons for viewing sexual images of children or engaging in online grooming are complex, and many people recognise that what they are doing is wrong. "Often, they feel trapped in a cycle of compulsive behaviour. "Seeking individualised, anonymous, and non-judgmental support is absolutely the right step to take. "We work with hundreds of people who are worried about their sexual thoughts or behaviour online or who have been arrested for offences involving children. "We can help you stop and move on from offending or potential criminal behaviour, helping to protect and keep children safe." The Get Help or Get Caught campaign will run on social media channels from Wednesday, July 23, for six weeks.
