The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
LOCH TAY:
A major diesel spill in Loch Tay yesterday was allegedly caused by an attempted robbery at a nearby fuel station. Residents in Killin were advised not to drink tap water amid concerns about contamination. Local reports say thousands of litres of fuel...
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Calls to put ex-council offices back on market PERTH:
Councillors are calling for the former local authority office building in Perth to go back on the market over concerns about a controversial hotel deal. The council’s former city centre offices at 1-5 High Street were offered to Londonbased developer...
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Perthshire holiday park’ s £10m extension approved
A Perthshire holiday park is hoping to cash in on the staycation boom with a £10 million expansion of its Loch Tay site. Plans by Loch Tay Highland Lodge Park, near Killin, for 62 lodges, six glamping pods, four holiday cabins and eight stilted...
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Estate owner asked for legal help from Epstein
EXCLUSIVE BY ALASDAIR CLARK A Perthshire estate owner caught in an alleged prostitution sting sought legal help from paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. John Paul Havens, pictured, owner of Tullybeagles Estate, near Perth, was indicted in 2019 over...
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Trial told victim would have died ‘within minutes’
A pathologist has told the High Court how she escalated the post-mortem examination of Brian Low after spotting signs he had been shot. Dr Tamara Mcnamee of Dundee University gave evidence on the ninth day of David Campbell’s trial in Glasgow. She...
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Attack dog on death row has cost taxpayer £15k
A dog which attacked a mother and child in Perth has cost the taxpayer more than £15,000 to be housed on death row. Since carrying out the attack – that left a nine-year-old scarred for life – the akita, Lucky, has been kept in £25-per-day kennels for...
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PERTH:
The leader of anti-immigration rallies outside hotels in Perth is “pushing” for Reform UK and has lobbied senior local party members ahead of the upcoming Holyrood election. After talks at Almond Valley Bowling Club, Lee Stronach claims Nigel Farage’s...
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Wife of murder accused denies any ‘grievances’
The wife of a former head gamekeeper told jurors she was not aware of any “grievances” he had with the man he allegedly murdered near Aberfeldy. Despite previously stating to police there were “one or two” issues when her husband David Campbell and...
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Murder trial told CCTV shut off on day of shooting
CCTV at the home of a man accused of murdering Brian Low in Aberfeldy was manually switched off on the morning of the shooting, a court has heard. David Campbell is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow, accused of killing his former colleague with a...
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SNP aide calls baby unit downgrade ‘inhumane’
A staff member in John Swinney’s office described the proposed downgrade of Ninewells Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as “deeply inhumane” in response to a letter from a grieving Perthshire father. The letter to the first minister is in...
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£50m plans for new leisure hub on hold
Plans for a £50 million leisure hub, fourstar hotel and museum on the outskirts of Perth have been put on ice until further notice. Morris Leslie Group first announced the ambitious plans for the land neighbouring its headquarters at West Kinfauns in...
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Runners tackle 10k Bertha Park course
Dozens turned out for the challenge as Bertha Park Trail Run Winter 10k took place in Perth yesterday. Runners completed a marked 10km trail around Bertha Park Loch, heading toward Almondbank and returning along the river. The course featured...
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CID officer admits to cause of death error
The CID detective who wrongly assessed shotgun victim Brian Low’s death as a medical incident has admitted his error did not “show Police Scotland in its finest”. DC Mark Chance assessed Mr Low’s body after it was found on a track at the edge of...
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Shooting victim’ s dog stayed beside his body
A murder trial heard how shooting victim Brian Low’s dog stayed by his side until he was discovered lying “cold and stiff ” on a rural spot near his Aberfeldy home. The 65-year-old was found dead in an area known as Leafy Lane on the morning of...
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Murder accused made threats to kill, trial told
A man accused of murdering a former Perthshire groundsman allegedly made threats to shoot or kill multiple people in the Aberfeldy area over a 30-year period, including the owner of a puppy, and her daughter. David Campbell, 77, is accused of killing...
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Businessman plans ‘Gleneagles for dogs’ resort
APerthshire family have revealed plans to develop a new dog resort and veterinary facility near Auchterarder. Charlie Thorburn has run Mordor Gundogs in Path of Condie for the past 20 years, having operated the business since 2003. The 45-year-old,...
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Tayside mother shares baby unit survival story in her new book
ATayside mum whose baby daughter’s life was saved at the neonatal intensive care unit at Ninewells Hospital is planning a book inspired by her experience. Lauren Webster, originally from Blairgowrie but who now lives in Dundee, wrote her first book as...
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Perth pupil transport costing £78k per day EXPENSES: Council also spends £3.5m annually to subsidise public buses
Private companies are receiving £78,000 every school day from Perth and Kinross Council to provide pupil transport. According to council leader Eric Drysdale, a further £3.5 million a year is spent by subsidising public bus services. Communities may...
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Perth Rangers fan dies on Europa trip PORTUGAL:
The family of a Perth Rangers fan have led tributes to him after his death in Portugal while following his team. James Scrimgeour, 65, died in his sleep during a trip abroad to see Rangers in their Europa League clash. A club statement confirmed Jim,...
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Watchdog inquiry into wildlife park
A charities watchdog is launching a fresh investigation into a Perthshire wildlife park after “concerns” were raised. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) confirmed there was an “ongoing inquiry” into Auchingarrich, near Comrie. It...
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Voyeur’ s sex addiction help service for pupils Offender launched ‘educational’ business days before guilty plea
A window cleaner from Perth convicted of spying on a naked child in a bathroom set up an “educational” company aiming to work with schools to raise awareness of sex and pornography addiction. Kevin Gray, pictured, established his new firm just days...
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Tenant left with no toilet as ceiling ‘leaked urine’ CRIEFF: Wheelchair user lodges complaint over unhelpful emergency line
A woman with a progressive neurological disorder was unable to use her own toilet for a day as urine poured through the ceiling of her housing association flat. Wheelchair user Rachael Roy, 29, has Friedreich’s Ataxia, a condition similar to MS,...
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Fire chiefs suspect blaze caused by Dyson vacuum
Fire chiefs believe a house blaze that left a 73-year-old Perthshire woman homeless was caused by a battery exploding in her cordless Dyson vacuum cleaner. Janet Thomson lost everything when fire broke out in her Rattray home in November. An internal...
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Compensation call over treatment of Travellers HOUSING:
A woman whose family were forced to live in an old hut without running water and electricity during the so-called “Tinker Experiment” has said local authorities should “start seriously looking at reparations for those most affected”. Roseanna Mcphee’s...
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‘Postcode lottery’ to cost mum £3k in nursery fees Son’s date of birth misses cut-off for free place starting in April
A Perth mum was shocked to discover that due to her son’s birth date, she will pay almost £3,000 more than she expected in nursery fees. Caitlin Ripley’s son, Ali, turns three in early April. However, while other threeyear-olds begin their free...
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PERTH:
A former deputy lieutenant of Perth and Kinross, whose quiet dedication helped shape Perth’s cultural, charitable and civic life for more than half a century, has died aged 92. Tributes have been paid to Mary Cairncross, pictured, who played a pivotal...
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Calls to reverse £1.9m hotel deal
Perth and Kinross Council’s chief executive has admitted the authority did receive other expressions of interest in its former High Street offices, despite councillors being told there was not. Now those same councillors are asking if the...
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Hotel buffer zones called for after asylum protests
Perthshire MSP John Swinney will consider “buffer zones” around hotels housing asylum seekers after “disgusting” antiimmigration protests in Perth. Protesters rushed towards the Radisson Blu Hotel on Saturday and banged on the windows. The...
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City asylum seeker hotel targeted by angry mob
Anti-immigration protesters charged a hotel during a tense two-hour protest near Perth city centre at the weekend. Protesters were seen banging on windows of the Radisson Blu Hotel on Saturday morning. The hotel has been targeted by a series of...
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Travellers in line for apology over ‘Tinker’ project PERTHSHIRE: Children were taken away for adoption
Perth and Kinross Council is set to formally apologise to the Scottish Gypsy/traveller community for its role in the so-called “Tinker Experiment” of the 20th Century. The controversial series of social policies attempted to forcibly settle groups...
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Hockey players enjoy frosty fun on frozen pond
As free]ing temperatures hit Tayside people headed out to make the most of the winter weather. 6ome took advantage of the conditions to have an impromptu game of ice hockey on the 6wannie 3onds in 'undee, while others in .irriemuir and 3itlochry dug...
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Flurry of fun at Glenshee
Wintry weather continued yesterday with heavy snowfall hitting many areas as the mercury plummeted. The big freeze swept across many areas of Perth and Kinross, Tayside and Fife, resulting in travel disruption. Many took advantage of the opportunity...
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Perth park and ride hits 1,000 drivers with fines
Perth Broxden Park and Ride users have been slapped with more than 1,000 parking fines in the last four years. The figures were obtained by The Courier through a freedom of information request made to Perth and Kinross Council. Some 1,090 parking...
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Anti-violence plea from ex-hooligan
A former football hooligan has warned young fans against getting involved in violence at matches. Andy Blance, pictured, served a five-year jail sentence for mobbing and violence involving Dunfermline casuals in 1990 and a prison term for assaulting...
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Family of missing man still hopeful for return PERTH:
The family of a Perth man missing for two weeks is hoping they will still get their son home safely. Declyn Cunningham was last seen at the city’s Smeaton’s Bridge in the early hours of Thursday December 18. Extensive searches have taken place along...
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Council boss’ s tribute to wife after flu death
The leader of Perth and Kinross Council has paid tribute to “the wind beneath his wings” after the death of his wife, aged 62. Following complications brought on by a bout of flu, Elizabeth Drysdale died in Ninewells Hospital on Boxing Day. The...
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Man charged after fire guts Carse house
$ man has been charged after a house in the &arse of *owrie was allegedly set on fire. 7he bla]e broke out in a detached house at :est *range, near (rrol, just before 4am yesterday. Six fire engines and a height appliance attended and seyeral crew...
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FM says families need answers on fatal hotel blaze
First Minister John Swinney, pictured, is pressing Scotland’s police chief for answers over what caused a fatal hotel fire in Perth. Three people died in the New County Hotel blaze on January 2 2023 – sisters Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon...
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Speeder tore along path in city centre
An “idiot” banned driver was lucky not to have mown down pedestrians as he tore along a pavement during a hair-raising highspeed chase through Perth city centre, a court heard. John Buchan drove away from police and down several streets at well above...
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Roads around scene of fatal fire likely to reopen in February
Roads surrounding the scene of a fatal fire in Perth city centre could finally reopen in mid-february, the local authority has said. Sections of South Street and Scott Street have remained closed since June, when a major fire tore through a block of...
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Race for waste deal as landfill ban imminent
Perth and Kinross Council is scrambling to complete an 11th-hour deal for a waste contractor just days before a national landfill ban kicks in. The local authority had signed a £50m, 10-year contract with Paprec Energies Binn in 2023 to turn...
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Full steam ahead to Christmas on Polar Express
Dozens turned out as The Polar Express Train Ride took place in Brechin. The event on Sunday December 14 saw families and children board the festive train experience at Caledonian Railway, enjoy hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies, meet dancing...
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NHS shredding ban after Eljamel fiasco
NHS Tayside bosses have issued an urgent notice to all staff banning the shredding of documents after theatre logbooks that may have proved crucial to the Eljamel public inquiry were destroyed. The health board sparked fury among victims of disgraced...
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Businesses fear for the future in aftermath of fatal fire
Several Perth business owners are fearing for the future six months on from a fatal fire that decimated their trade. Scott Street and South Street have remained closed since the blaze in June, leaving business owners describing the remainder of the...
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Perth cabbies claim 24 new licences will ‘devastate’ city trade
Perth cabbies have warned a scheme to allocate 24 new taxi licence plates in the city could be “devastating” for local trade and residents. Councillors on Perth and Kinross licensing committee unanimously voted in favour of the plan this week, in a...
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Jeweller blames shop closure on roads disruption
The owner of a Perth jewellery shop has blamed the store’s impending closure on a lack of footfall since a fatal fire in June. Amoha, a Celtic jewellery and gemstone shop, pictured, has operated on South Street for more than a year. Owner Ishane Vali...
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Council group leader ousted after hotel row
The Liberal Democrat leader of Perth and Kinross Council has been ousted, along with his wife, in a row over the hotel plan for the former council chambers building. Peter Barrett, pictured, left the public “astonished” when he spoke in favour of the...
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Perth fan sees match for first time with VR headset
A partially-sighted football fan from Perth has described the “emotional” moment he saw his team play for the first time through his own eyes. Jon Attenborough, pictured, who has no sight in his right eye and limited vision in his left, was at...
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Only One Great Thing:
Big Country lead guitarist stakes a claim on band’s sound
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Nurse to appeal as tribunal decision blunder revealed
Nurse Sandie Peggie broke her silence yesterday as she revealed why she is appealing the judgment in her trans row with NHS Fife – on the day the document was amended to remove a bogus quote. The tribunal judgment, published on Monday, had found that...
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£1.9m of public cash agreed for hotel developer
Councillors have approved a controversial deal to pay £1.9 million in order to turn the former council chambers in Perth into a luxury hotel. Perth and Kinross councillors voted in favour of an agreement with London-based hotel developer Lock Terrace...
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Butcher keeps Cadbury sweet after haggis ad row
A Perthshire butcher incurred the wrath of confectionery giant Cadbury over a spoof advert promoting a new chocolate haggis product. Simon Howie unveiled its haggis-shaped chocolate brownie pudding in January 2024 to coincide with Burns Night. As...
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Police officer jailed after taking home seized guns
A police constable has been jailed after he took home six shotguns surrendered to him by a member of the public. Alan Sharp, pictured, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison after earlier admitting three Firearms Act charges related to...
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Palace owner to flaunt destination Perthshire
The owner of Scone Palace is spearheading a mission to put Perthshire on the tourist map. William Murray, Viscount Stormont, is driving a strategy to highlight everything the area has to offer. He believes Perthshire should be seen as a destination...
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Council tax payers may see 9.5% hike
Perth and Kinross Council is proposing a 9.5% council tax rise next year. The council has opened a consultation on its budget proposals for 2026-27 and says it wants to know about people’s spending priorities – and the areas where they would be...
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NEGLIGENCE: Health board told to pay compensation
A judge has ordered NHS Tayside to pay compensation to a Perth family after finding the health board responsible for its daughter’s cerebral palsy. Maisie Wilkie, 15, developed the condition due to a lack of oxygen at birth in a midwifery-led unit at...
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Couple’ s family dream shattered by visa rules
A Perth couple say new UK settlement laws have shattered their dream of starting a family in Scotland. Nawodh Jayasinghe, 30, came to Scotland from Sri Lanka in December 2022 to be with his wife, Lowdini Gunawaradhana, who was studying at the time....
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Secrecy row over publicly-paid car for EX-UHI chief
UHI Perth has been caught up in a secrecy row on the day its former principal faces a grilling from Holyrood MSPS over the institution’s financial struggles. The college refused to release the findings of a probe into ex-depute principal Lorenz...
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Ex-council director paid £125k for six-month role
A former Perth and Kinross Council director was paid a six-figure sum for six months’ work before the role was scrapped without a single piece of local authority paperwork. Alison Williams, pictured, received a total of £125,543 for her spell as...
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Developer angry over losses on Thimblerow
The developer chosen for an abandoned £30 million Thimblerow transformation project has criticised Perth and Kinross Council over “cynical” plans to build a new leisure centre at the site. Expresso Property claims it has been left hundreds of...
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Police called in over deleted Eljamel data
NHS Tayside has reported itself to Police Scotland following the destruction of potentially vital documents. The move comes after it was revealed on the first day of the inquiry into the actions of Sam Eljamel that 40 theatre logbooks had been binned...
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PERTH: Pupil alarmed after seeing 16-year-old take gun from backpack
A 16-year-old brought a firearm to class after telling a friend he wanted to “shoot up the school”. Classmates at the Perth secondary were alarmed by Patrikas Jakstas’ chilling Snapchat video showing him discharging the weapon – described as a gas...
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Eljamel logbooks destroyed by NHS Tayside workers
The inquiry into disgraced surgeon Sam Eljamel has opened with the astonishing revelation that NHS Tayside staff destroyed 40 theatre logbooks containing potentially crucial information – despite being ordered not to. Eljamel was head of neurosurgery...
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Council rejects ‘absurd’ claims on asylum flats
Perth and Kinross Council says rumours around asylum seekers being moved into vacant flats in Perth are “absurd”. Online speculation claimed occupants of the Station Hotel and Best Western Queens Hotel would be moved into Kingdom Housing Association...
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Still no support on NHS ‘centres of excellence’
First Minister John Swinney has been urged to speed up work on supporting hospitals in Perth and Angus almost a year after making the pledge to turn them into “centres of excellence”. Mr Swinney promised to create centres of excellence to cut waiting...
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‘Wilful’ blaze destroys gardening team’ s shed
Police are investigating a fire that destroyed a shed containing gardening equipment at Crieff Community Garden. Firefighters attended the blaze at the garden, off Monteath Street, around 10pm on Friday. Volunteer Catriona Smith revealed that the...
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Firefighter, 34, found guilty of trying to rape woman in alley
A disgraced Perth firefighter is behind bars after being found guilty of trying to drag a woman down a darkened alleyway with the intention of raping her. Serial sex attacker Jamie Scott snorted cocaine before “prowling the streets of Dundee” in the...
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Police officer may face jail for taking home guns cache
A serving firearms officer has admitted taking home shotguns handed in to police for destruction. Alan Sharp was a constable with the Firearms and Explosive Licensing Department in Perth and was caught after a search of his family home in 2022. The...
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Judge rejects Traveller move to block brewery
A judge has dismissed a second bid to block a new brewery next to a historic Gypsy Traveller site in Pitlochry. A judicial review was sought by Roseanna Mcphee after Perth and Kinross Council agreed to Wasted Degrees Brewing’s plans. Ms Mcphee is a...
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