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Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Man charged with murder after human remains found following weeks-long search for missing 43-year-old
Specialist forensic officers are continuing with investigations MURDER CHARGE Man charged with murder after human remains found following weeks-long search for missing 43-year-old Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAN has been charged with murder after human remains were found following a weeks-long search for a missing man. Daniel Coleman, 43, vanished last month from St Austell, in Cornwall. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up A huge search was launched after he was last seen in the town at 12pm on Sunday, June 1. It is now believed Mr Coleman was killed on a date between June 2 and July 7 after human remains were found. Cops have charged James Desborough with his murder. The 39-year-old is in custody and is due to appear before magistrates in Bodmin tomorrow. Mr Coleman's next-of-kin have been informed. Investigations are still ongoing by specialist forensic officers at a site in Sticker. A woman, in her 30s, from Newquay, was also arrested last week on suspicion of murder. She remains on police bail while inquiries continue. Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft said: "We are continuing with a forensic examination of the scene which is being carried out slowly and methodically. "Our teams of officers and staff are being assisted by the National Crime Agency expert group and Home Office-approved scientists. "A significant police presence will remain in the Sticker area as we progress our inquiries expeditiously. "I continue to ask that people do not speculate on social media about this case." 1 Daniel Coleman went missing last month Credit: BPM More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Man charged with murder after human remains found following weeks-long search for missing 43-year-old
A MAN has been charged with murder after human remains were found following a weeks-long search for a missing man. Daniel Coleman, 43, vanished last month from St Austell, in Cornwall. A huge search was launched after he was last seen in the town at 12pm on Sunday, June 1. It is now believed Mr Coleman was killed on a date between June 2 and July 7 after human remains were found. Cops have charged James Desborough with his murder. The 39-year-old is in custody and is due to appear before magistrates in Bodmin tomorrow. Read More Mr Coleman's next-of-kin have been informed. Investigations are still ongoing by specialist forensic officers at a site in Sticker. A woman, in her 30s, from Newquay, was also arrested last week on suspicion of murder. She remains on police bail while inquiries continue. Most read in The Sun Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft said: "We are continuing with a forensic examination of the scene which is being carried out slowly and methodically. "Our teams of officers and staff are being assisted by the National Crime Agency expert group and Home Office-approved scientists. "A significant police presence will remain in the Sticker area as we progress our inquiries expeditiously. "I continue to ask that people do not speculate on social media about this case." 1 Daniel Coleman went missing last month Credit: BPM More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at
The Courier
19-05-2025
- The Courier
Dundee student who became international cannabis courier will 'face music' in China after serving sentence
A former Dundee student's family in China have suffered the 'shame and disgrace' of his role in an elaborate international cannabis enterprise. Xiang Chen was acting as a courier while studying ethical hacking in the city, shifting shipments of cannabis for £30 a box in winter 2022. Chen, 23, returned to the dock to be sentenced, aided by a Mandarin interpreter, having been found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cannabis at a trial in February. More than 10kg of the Class B drug were intercepted by the UK Border Force in boxes from North America. Jurors rejected his claim he thought the boxes he was collecting and handing over contained cigars. Chen was ordered to complete unpaid work in Dundee but his Home Office-approved leave will end once his sentence is served and he will return to China. Jurors at Forfar Sheriff Court heard parcels of drugs were intercepted at Heathrow and East Midlands airports. Chen's role was collecting parcels from properties in Dundee and delivering them to a man at the city railway station. He used controversial messaging app WeChat to send his boss a photograph of a letter from Inland Border Command confirming they'd seized 1.6kg of cannabis destined for a flat used by his operation. When he was arrested in April 2023, Chen told police he thought the boxes contained cigars. Sentencing had been deferred for social workers to compile a report on the courier. Chen's defence counsel Janice Green said: 'Mr Chen is certainly prepared to undertake unpaid work. 'He is quite scared of the prospect of custody. If that has not been conveyed to the author of the report, that has been a misunderstanding. 'This is a case where the weight is 8.48kg. Mr Chen might rightly be categorised as a courier with limited financial advantage, no influence with the chain of operation and an involvement through, perhaps, immaturity and naivety.' Ms Green added: 'In the period of him being on bail, he has returned to China. 'His parents are traditional Chinese with traditional values. They feel quite acutely the shame and disgrace has affected them. 'Whatever he has said in terms of explaining his position, it doesn't make sense. It wasn't accepted by the jury. 'His status is that he was on a student visa. He has been allowed to remain by the Home Office until the proceedings and disposal have been served. 'It would be his intention then to return home to China where he would take residence with his parents and face the music there. 'Clearly he is immature. His limited social interaction skills… perhaps impacts on his naivety and immaturity.' The court heard Chen is no longer working or studying. Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown ordered him to complete 300 hours of unpaid work over the next two years and granted forfeiture of all the seized drugs. She said: 'I've taken into account what's been said on your behalf by your counsel, the criminal justice social work report, the fact that you have no previous convictions and in particular your age. 'In all the circumstances I'm satisfied that an alternative to custody is appropriate.'
The Independent
26-03-2025
- The Independent
Body-worn cameras for police will bring ‘huge benefits', says chief constable
The rollout of body-worn video cameras for Police Scotland officers will bring 'huge benefits' to the force on an operational level, the chief constable has said. Speaking as the first officers were kitted out with the cameras at Bell Street police station in Dundee on Wednesday, Jo Farrell said she hopes all frontline officers and staff will be equipped with the devices within 12-18 months. She says the cameras should speed up court citations for police who have been involved in incidents, ultimately driving 'faster justice for victims' of crime, and providing officers with additional safety. She said: 'It will bring huge benefits. This is a game-changer for us both in terms of additional reassurance to the public, but importantly we're able to capture the best evidence to get good outcomes for victims in court. 'It will provide additional safety to our officers, because my experience is that where people are aggressive and offer violence towards officers, their behaviour changes when they know they're being recorded.' Around 750 officers covering Dundee, Angus and Perthshire, including road policing officers and dog handlers, will be fitted with the new devices over the coming weeks in the first stage of the national rollout. More than 10,500 Home Office-approved Motorola Solutions VB400 cameras will be issued to frontline officers and police custody staff across the country as the rollout continues, in what is part of a £13.3 million contract. Ms Farrell has sought to prioritise the introduction of body-worn video cameras since taking command of the force in October 2023. It is hoped the deployment of the cameras will help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing, reduce complaints and support officer and staff safety, as well as bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system. The rollout was announced in June last year, but the force said in August that it would not begin until March 2025. Asked why there was such a delay, Ms Farrell said: 'The rollout is more than the camera. We need an infrastructure – we're delivering this across a country, so it needs financial resource, technical resource, and we need to build the infrastructure. 'But now that we've started the launch and the rollout, I anticipate it will be very rapid across the country.' During a Scottish Police Federation conference on Tuesday, its chairman claimed 'policing deserts' are becoming widespread across Scotland. David Threadgold warned a squeeze on police resources, as well as diminished trust between officers, the chief constable and the Scottish Government due to pay negotiations, had led to more officers leaving the force. Ms Farrell said on Wednesday she is 'far more optimistic' than Mr Threadgold, stating the cameras could be instrumental in rectifying the issue. She said: 'It's my role to ensure that we have the strongest policing front line across the whole of Scotland. 'The body-worn rollout is part of that, in terms of it will reduce the time that officers are in court, it will provide extra protection to them, and it will provide them the security and reassurance when people maliciously complain against them, they'll be able to evidence the fact that they've acted in a professional and proper way.' Some officers have voiced confidence the cameras will speed up court appearances for police, and that it will help with public trust in policing. Pc Anna Bannerman said: 'Everything we do will be recorded. There's not going to be any question over how we've presented ourselves or the tasks we've carried out. 'When we get cited for court it can sometimes be on our days off, which is quite a big disruption for us and we find ourselves waiting to be seen in court, so having these cameras should be a massive help.' Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Body-worn video can increase public confidence in policing and improve safety for police officers and staff. It can also benefit victims and witnesses of crime by allowing cases to be brought to court sooner. 'The use of body-worn video is supported by a world-leading £33 million Scottish Government initiative for sharing digital evidence from crime scene to court room. 'Digital evidence sharing capability, which is also being rolled out across Scotland, is leading to efficiencies across the criminal justice system, delivering benefits for victims, police officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, court staff and judges.' Scottish Police Authority interim chairwoman Fiona McQueen said: 'The rollout of body-worn video to frontline officers has been a longstanding aspiration for policing in Scotland and this marks an important milestone in that journey. 'The benefits of this technology are well documented. It will benefit the safety of our officers and the public and wider criminal justice system in terms of the effectiveness of investigations.'
