EXCLUSIVE The gang war tearing Scotland apart mapped: The territories under the control of 'Mr Big', the Scottish Scarface and Edinburgh's cocaine king
As four Scottish crime lords are embroiled in a vicious fight to control the country's drug trade, the Mail can reveal interactive maps of the territories they are waging war over.
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STV News
21 minutes ago
- STV News
Businessman who defrauded firms and stole tractors worth £630,000 jailed
A man who defrauded businesses out of hundreds of thousands of pounds and stole agricultural machinery from Scottish firms has been jailed. Barry Mackland, 50, caused businesses based in the north east to sustain losses of £630,000 throughout 2022. In July, the High Court in Edinburgh heard how Mackland, of Aberdeen, stole tractors from a company and sold them to a third party, pocketing the cash. He also pretended to other businesses that the cheques he presented to them would be honoured if they were handed over at a bank. However, these companies lost out as there were insufficient funds in Mackland's account to make the payments, but he would still obtain machinery worth tens of thousands of pounds. Mackland was found guilty by a jury of defrauding three agricultural firms in a swindle worth £630,000 by obtaining money through false pretences. The offending took place between March 2022 and June 2022 and involved two firms in Forfar, one in Stonehaven and a fourth in Lincolnshire. Evidence revealed how he persuaded the Scottish dealers to supply him with vehicles to the value of £500,000, knowing the cheques he used as payment would bounce. Payment was never made, and the vehicles were not returned. He also pretended to the company in Lincolnshire that he would supply them with a JCB for £52,200 and then failed to supply the vehicle or return the money. In total, the overall value of his fraudulent activity was put at £630,000. On Thursday, Mackland was sentenced to five years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow. He will also be subject to confiscation action under Proceeds of Crime laws to recover funds illegally obtained. Mackland's lawyer David Moggach told the court: 'He still maintains the position that he had at trial.' The KC stated the financial situation at the time for Mackland had 'got worse' and that he had 'struggled to keep his head above water'. Lord Harrower said Mackland's own business had involved sourcing and supplying plant equipment in the UK and what he described as 'Europe-wide'. Sentencing, the judge added: 'You were not a con-man, who tricks an unsuspecting stranger out of his money and is never seen again. 'Most of your customers had dealt with you over many years. 'These dealings were based almost entirely on trust. For many years, your business appeared to flourish. 'However, when things started to go wrong, as they did in the spring of 2022, your wheeling and dealing exposed your customers to unacceptable levels of risk. 'You fraudulently exploited your customers' goodwill in an increasingly desperate attempt to keep your business going.' Moira Orr, who leads on major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: 'Fraud is not a victimless crime. It strikes at and erodes the basis of trust upon which all businesses rightly depend. We take such criminality very seriously. 'Businesses and individuals suffered considerable financial harm as a consequence of Barry Mackland's crimes. 'But thanks to partnership working between Police Scotland and the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service, he has been brought to account for his crimes. 'As prosecutors, we are wholly committed to tackling financial crime of this kind.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
OAP arrested at anti-abortion protest in Glasgow has case dropped by prosecutors
A pensioner who was arrested at an anti-abortion protest has had the case against her dropped by prosecutors. Rose Docherty, 75, was arrested as she stood near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. She was holding a sign which read: "Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want". The grandmother became the first person to be arrested and charged under a new law which created buffer zones outside Scottish abortion clinics in February. She was accused of 'influencing the decision of another person to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services at the protected premises'. But it has now emerged prosecutors have decided no further action should be taken against her at this time. The Crown Office said they 'reserve the right' to take proceedings in the future. Speaking about the decision, Ms Docherty told LBC: "This is a victory not just for me, but for everyone in Scotland who believes we should be free to hold a peaceful conversation. I stood with love and compassion, ready to listen to anyone who wanted to talk. "Criminalising kindness has no place in a free society." She has also been told her sign will be returned to her. Ms Docherty was supported by the group ADF International. Lorcan Price, Irish barrister and legal counsel for ADF said: "No one should fear arrest for offering a consensual conversation. Rose's case is a stark example of how 'buffer zone' laws can be weaponised to silence peaceful expression. We are relieved that common sense has prevailed, but the fact that Rose was arrested and threatened with prosecution shows the urgent need to protect fundamental freedoms in Scotland." The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act came into effect in September last year, a month before the introduction of similar legislation in England and Wales. Under the law, protestors who come within 200m of clinics face fines of up to £10,000. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, US Vice President JD Vance claimed that the Scottish Government had sent letters warning people against praying inside their own homes if they were within buffer zone areas. Ministers responded denying that claim and stating that the new legislation had been 'carefully drafted to capture only intentional or reckless behaviour close to a small number of premises providing abortion services'. A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: "The procurator fiscal received a report relating to a 75-year-old female and an incident said to have occurred on February 19, 2025. "Professional prosecutors from COPFS considered the report. All Scotland's prosecutors operate independently of political influence. "After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, it was decided that there should be no further action taken at this time. "The Crown reserves the right to take proceedings in relation to this incident in the future."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Man rushed to hospital after falling 'significant distance' at Scots beauty spot
The air ambulance was called to the scene after a man reportedly fell a "significant distance" at Callander's Bracklinn Falls, injuring himself. An air ambulance was scrambled to a Scottish beauty spot after a 21-year-old man plunged "a significant distance down an embankment" on to rocks. Emergency services dashed to Bracklinn Falls, in Callander, Perthshire, on Wednesday afternoon. It came after reports that someone had slipped and hurt themselves at the spot around 2pm. Police Scotland requested help from the Killin Mountain Rescue Team (Killin MRT), due to the location of the injured man. Nine volunteer members of the mountain rescue team attended the scene. A Killin MRT spokesperson said: "Nine team members responded as part of a multi-agency response and set up a rigging system to haul the stretcher and casualty back up the embankment, and we were assisted by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. "Once clear of the Falls, the casualty was handed over to the Scottish Ambulance Service for further medical treatment. The team stood down around 6.20pm." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 2.20pm on Wednesday, 13 August, 2025, we were made aware a man had fallen onto rocks at Bracklinn Falls in Callander. 'Emergency services attended and the 21-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment.' A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 2.15pm on Wednesday, 13 August, to reports of a person in difficulty at Bracklinn Falls, Callander. "Operations Control mobilised two appliances and a number of specialist resources to the scene. 'Crews worked with emergency service partners to bring the casualty to safety before being handed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. "Firefighters left the scene at 5.20pm after ensuring the area was safe." The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) sent two ambulances to the scene, along with the air ambulance. The injured patient was subsequently transported to hospital by ambulance. A spokesperson for the SAS said: "We received a call at 2.06pm on Wednesday, August 13, to attend an incident at Bracklinn Falls, Callander. "We dispatched two ambulances, three special operations response teams (SORT), and an air ambulance to the scene. We transported one patient to Forth Valley Hospital."
