Latest news with #OrkneyAssassin
Edinburgh Live
8 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Cold-blooded Orkney murder continues to 'split' community 30 years on reveals journalist
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info One of Scotland's most notorious murder cases is once again under scrutiny, thanks to a new documentary from Prime Video. The Orkney Assassin delves into the chilling 1994 murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood, a waiter at the Indian restaurant Mumtaz in Kirkwall. Mahmood, a 26 year old Bangladeshi national, was brutally shot by a masked man in front of diners, including families with children. At the time of his death, Mahmood, who had previously worked on the island, was planning to return to Bangladesh and marry his girlfriend. Following the murder, the gunman disappeared into the night, leaving a shockwave that continues to ripple through the island community, reports the Scottish Daily Express. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Prime Video free trial Get Prime Video free for 30 days TV lovers can get 30 days' free access to tantalising TV like The Boys, Reacher and Clarkson's Farm by signing up to Amazon Prime. Just remember to cancel at the end and you won't be charged. £0 Amazon Get Prime Video here Michael Ross, who was just 15 at the time of the murder, was questioned by police but subsequently released. After a lengthy 14-year investigation, former Black Watch soldier Ross was finally convicted of the murder in 2008. In a dramatic turn of events, Ross attempted to flee the court after the guilty verdict was announced, nearly making it out the door before he was apprehended. (Image: POLICE SCOTLAND) A stash of weapons and camping equipment was later discovered in a vehicle hired by Ross in a nearby supermarket car park. He claimed this was part of his plan to escape and live off the grid rather than face imprisonment. Ross is currently serving a 25-year sentence at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire, one of Scotland's highest security prisons. He has made three escape attempts, which he claims were efforts to bring his case back into the public eye. Despite his conviction, Ross has always maintained his innocence. His family, including father and former policeman Eddy Ross, mother Moira and other members of the Orkney community are campaigning for his release as part of the J4MR - Justice 4 Michael Ross group. Reach Screen Time spoke exclusively to both local newspaper reporter Ethan Flett and prosecutor Brian McConnachie KC, who shed further light on the case which continues to stir strong feelings amongst the Orkney Island community. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) Flett, who continues to report on the case as new developments emerge, said: "I think there's quite a split in the community between those that think Ross is guilty and those that think he's innocent." Reflecting on why doubt remains about Ross' guilt despite the conviction, Flett said: "There are a lot of inconsistencies and unanswered questions surrounding the case and the investigations that preceded the trial, dubious witnesses whose evidence seems to be rather important in the case, changing positions. Things like that got my interest in that." The reporter for Orkney's oldest newspaper The Orcadian went on to say how despite the "thorough police work" in the unprecedented case "certain things were missed that look quite important" as well as the handling of the case. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) Prosecutor McConnachie shared Flett's concerns about the divisions within the local community, stating: "I suspect it still does affect people." Although not an Orkney resident himself, McConnachie acknowledged the case's lasting impact: "I think there's always going to be two sides." He noted that the island's small size meant the case would inevitably affect the community atmosphere, with neighbours likely holding differing opinions on Ross's guilt or innocence - a situation complicated by his family still living there. McConnachie described the Orkney murder as a "challenging" case and his most high-profile one, citing the incredible number of times he had been asked about it compared to other cases. Regarding the sustained interest, he attributed it to the ongoing developments, including Ross's repeated escape attempts, the most recent being in 2018. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) Addressing the lingering doubts about Ross's guilt, McConnachie stated: "I certainly haven't seen anything since the trial back in 2008 that suggests to me that the jury got it wrong." He later added: "If you are trying to look for things that point towards guilt, then you might look at the circumstances of the last day of the trial, and the motor vehicle that he had and the things he had in them when he tried to escape from the court - never mind trying to escape from the prison. That there's something unnerving about what was contained within the car." Speaking on the efforts to free Ross, he remarked: "I think if you are a family member and somebody is convicted and they tell you there are innocent, then the likelihood is that you are going to take their position on it and perhaps try and assist them as best you can in overcoming what they see as being a miscarriage of justice." The documentary The Orkney Assassin is now available for viewers, offering an in-depth look into the murder case from different perspectives. The Orkney Assassin is streaming on Prime Video from June 8
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Daily Record
Orkney killer Michael Ross' mum breaks down after quizzing him on horrific murder
The Orkney Assassin examines the shocking case of Michael Ross The mother of Michael Ross, the man incarcerated for the 1994 slaying of a Bangladeshi waiter in Orkney, crumbled into tears during a recent documentary about the crime, reports the Scottish Daily Express. The poignant scenes in The Orkney Assassin show Moira Ross breaking down as she recalls asking her then-teenage son if he was behind the murder. Speaking to the documentary team, she said: "I remember him coming home with the detective. He was just his normal self. "All he wanted to do was come down and have a biscuit and something to eat because he'd been starving when he was being questioned at the police station. So he was hungry." Moira carried on: "Then he went up to his room and sat there and I did go up and ask him, I said, 'Did you shoot that man?' And he said , 'No.'" "And I just can't get over the look on his face when I asked him that." Deeply moved, Moira shed tears as her spouse, ex-police officer Eddy Ross, sat nex to her with a tearful demeanour. Ross was merely 15 when Shamsuddin Mahmood, aged 26, was fatally shot by someone masked in Mumtaz Restaurant in Kirkwall amidst diners, which included children. Mahmood's previously worked on the island the year before, and his untimely demise stirred considerable trepidation in the Bangladeshi community concerning small-town relocations for fear of similar tragedies. Following police detention and questioning, the youngster was subsequently let go. The case baffled the authorities for years, with former soldier Ross eventually being convicted of the murder and given a 25-year sentence in 2008. In a dramatic turn of events, ex-Army sniper Ross tried to escape the courtroom after the guilty verdict was announced, nearly succeeding before he was caught. Police later discovered a stash of weapons in a car park nearby, in a vehicle rented by Ross. The Orkney Assassin, which launches on Prime Video today (June 8), provides new insights into the shocking 31 year old cold-blooded murder. From Ross' parents, who firmly maintain his innocence, to eyewitnesses, journalists, police detectives, and legal representatives involved in the case at the time, The Orkney Assassin examines all aspects of the case. The Orkney Assassin questions whether Mahmood's tragic death was a racist attack or even a professional hit as the evidence is reevaluated. Despite his conviction, Ross has always insisted he is innocent, with the campaign group J4MR - Justice 4 Michael Ross attempting to overturn the verdict and claiming it's a massive miscarriage of justice. Ross is currently serving his sentence at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire and has made three attempts to escape from prison since his incarceration began.
