Kilmarnock Standard

COPSHUNTFOR THUGSBEHIND ‘TERRIFYING’NEW YEAR’SDAYRAID

Police are hunting an ‘unkempt’ robber with missing teeth after a ‘terrifying’ raid by two men on a home on New Year’s Day. Detectives are appealing for information after the men forced their way into a property in Kilmarnock on January 1 and...

TRIBUTESAREPAID TOTRAGICRUGBY CLUBPLAYERKALEB

Tributes have been paid to a Kilmarnock youngster who died after being found seriously injured at a property in the town. Kaleb Carton, who played for Kilmarnock Rugby Club, has been named locally by devastated loved ones. Police confirmed on Monday...

BANK ON A COLLAPSE

A union is demanding urgent measures are taken to prevent the former Royal Bank of Scotland building in Kilmarnock town centre from becoming “dangerous.” GMB Scotland outlined their concerns over the state of the building in a letter to East Ayrshire...

Top retailer set to replace Glencairn Poundland RETAIL PARK LANDS NEW‘DREAM’STORE

Kilmarnock’s axed Poundland store is set to be replaced by one of the UK’s biggest bed firms. Blueprints show that Dreams plan to move into the Glencairn Retail Park unit when the discount retailer closes for the final time next month. Proposals...

FLIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

A Kimarnock family was left devastated after their flight to visit Santa in Lapland was axed on the runway. Mum Stefenie Bird-Young, 36, was travelling with her husband, Chris, 35, and children, Aaden, nine, and Amelia, seven. They had paid £2300 for...

JAILFORMAN WHOCAUSED DOG’SDEATH

A Kilmarnock man has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for 10 years after being held responsible for the death of his dog. William Robert Purdie Allan came before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last month and was initially fined £1575. However,...

NEW HOMES GET THE GREEN LIGHT

East Ayrshire Council has narrowly approved plans for 29 new homes on the edge of Crosshouse following a highly charged and lengthy planning hearing. The development - proposed by Dawn Homes on land adjacent to Holm Farm on the B7081 - was passed by...

KILLIE MAN DIES AFTER ROAD CRASH

A 93-year-old man has died following a road crash in Kilmarnock. Andrew Dick died in hospital following the crash on Fowlds Street on Wednesday, November 19 at 2.40pm. Police are now appealing for information following the tragedy. A police...

FREE FAMILY SIZE BOTTLE OF COCA-COLA

BOLD PLANS AT SAFEWAY SITE

Radical plans could see the former Safeway site in Kilmarnock redeveloped - 20 years after the supermarket closed. Home Bargains’ parent company want to develop a new store on the eyesore site complete with garden centre. Home Bargains’ blueprints...

TOWNCENTRE FUTURE BUST-UP

Sparks flew in East Ayrshire Council chambers as councillors clashed over the future of Kilmarnock town centre. A heated debate saw a war of words erupt between politicians on how best to reverse years of decline. Independent councillor Graham Boyd...

HAMMER BLOW AS M&S SET TO LEAVE TOWN CENTRE

Kilmarnock town centre has been dealt a devastating hammer blow after M&S announced plans to axe its town centre shop. The major retailer wants to plough millions into a new store at Queen’s Drive Retail Park. But fears are mounting that the move...

C-SECTION HORROR LEFT ME IN A COMA

A mum was left fighting for her life and placed into two induced comas after giving birth by caesarean section. Heather Boyd, 38, said she nearly died following the procedure at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock in January this year. The mum of five...

‘I DID NOTHING WRONG’ RAPIST IS CAGED

A rapist who believed he had done “nothing wrong”after putting two women through harrowing ordeals has been jailed for nine and a half years. William Byrne was physically and sexually abusive to his traumatised victims as they regularly suffered at...

EDUCATION BOSS UNDERFIRE FOR MUSIC REMARKS

East Ayrshire’s education chief has been forced to apologise after appearing to mock the point of music lessons. Linda McAulay-Griffiths made derogatory remarks about kids “knocking seven bells out of a glockenspiel” in a clip which has gone viral...

MAN IN COURT ON MURDER CHARGE

A man has appeared in court charged with murder after a woman was found dead in an East Ayrshire property. Samuel Kelly appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court charged in connection with the death of Michelle Thomson, 47, who was found injured within a...

ICONIC PUB HAS CLOSED DOWN

One of Kilmarnock’s most iconic pubs has closed its doors for the final time. Bosses at the Portmann Hotel said that rising brewery costs made the famous boozer’s operations unsustainable. Due to its close proximity to Rugby Park, the Portland Road...

IT’S THE BUSINESS

Ambitious plans have been lodged to build a new business park on the site of the former Kirklandside Hospital in Kilmarnock. The Standard can exclusively reveal that the proposal involves a Whiskey Bond, solar farm, large and small scale industrial...

PROBEINTO DOUBLE‘DINE ANDDASH’ DUO

A “dine and dash” couple caught on camera allegedly left two Kilmarnock restaurants without paying their bills. A probe is under way after the pair are said to have conned restaurants in Kilmarnock last Wednesday and Thursday. On the first night, it...

CARE FUND PROJECTS £8 MILLION OVERSPEND

East Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership is projecting an overspend of more than £8 million this year, according to new report. Added to that is more than £16m of savings that it requires to make in the coming year, with only two thirds of...

CONMAN JAILED AGAIN FOR PREYINGON THE ELDERLY

One of Scotland’s worst conmen has been jailed again ... as a judge stated he “specialised in preying on the elderly”. Robert Markward - who already had more than 100 convictions - was on home leave from prison when he committed his latest...

TWISTED CARER STRUCK OFF AFTER TAKING OVER £6K

A personal carer has been struck off by the industry watchdog for using a supported person’s bank card and making withdrawals of more than £6,600. Caroline Nimmo took around £6,680 from the supported person’s account while employed as a personal carer...

LETDOWN YETAGAIN

Parents at a Kilmarnock school say they feel “let down” by council chiefs after an appeal to keep transport for children with additional support needs (ASN) was refused again. Last month, parents of kids at Willowbank School were told that their...

MY HEART IS BROKEN

The heartbroken dad of a schoolboy killed in a road tragedy has paid tribute to his son. Aiden McLuckie, 14, from Hurlford, died when he was hit by a car at the bridge over Cessnock Water near Bargower. Dad David has described Aiden as the “most...

BEYOND GUTTED

A Kilmarnock businessman has had his life’s work destroyed after a fire ripped the heart out of the town centre. Tattoo artist Niky Brown said ‘reality had hit’ on Tuesday morning, after the devastating fire which broke out on King Street on Monday...

PALACE WILL REMAIN SHUT FOR FOUR YEARS

Kilmarnock’s Palace Theatre and Grand Hall will have been closed for four years by the time a £20 million redevelopment project has been completed. East Ayrshire Council announced the main contractor for the refurbishment works which are due to be...

GRANDPLANS

Two major retailers are poised to move into Kilmarnock, if blueprints are given the green light. Both Starbucks and Sainsbury’s have earmarked a parcel of land in the north of the town near Glasgow Road. Proposals show that the coffee giant wants to...

MUM UNCOVERED CRUEL PUPPY FARM

An off-duty Kilmarnock cop brought down a puppy farm operation after a tiny dog she bought for her children died just three days later. Elaine McArthur was among 20 people who bought puppies from Julie Taylor, who was selling dogs riddled with disease...

DEATH OF PRISONER WAS NOT AVOIDABLE

The death of a prisoner in custody at HMP Kilmarnock has been ruled unavoidable following a Fatal Accident Inquiry. Andrew Whiteford, 38, had been admitted to Crosshouse Hospital in May 2022 and died on May 31 of that month while still in custody. Mr...

FREE PAIR OF WRISTBANDS

We’ve teamed up with M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park to give every reader two FREE wristbands. Take up this offer and you will enjoy a fun family day out. That’s not all – you can step back in time with a Jurassic adventure into the world of...

STOLEN VAN CHASE ENDS INSMASH

A stolen Amazon van was chased through the streets of an Ayrshire town before it crashed with a police car at the weekend. Police were called to North Hamilton Street in Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon after the van, a Ford Transit delivery van, was...

JUSTICE

A former air cadet officer has been handed an eight-year sentence after being found guilty of abusing two teenage boys. Ronald Hardman, 80, preyed on the youngsters mainly at the squadron in Kilmarnock and at his then home in the town. One of the...

CRIMINAL PROBE AT SCHOOL

East Ayrshire Council has been rocked by a fresh criminal investigation involving a staff member at one of their schools. The Standard can reveal that a member of staff associated with a primary school and early childhood centre in the region has been...

FREE 6 PACK OF ICE CREAMS AT

The perfect treat for you and the family WE’VE teamed up with Iceland and The Food Warehouse with a fantastic offer! You can get one free pack of 6 Iceland Ice Cream Cones in-store from Wednesday 14th May 2025 until close of stores on Tuesday 20th...

Choir head to New York

Killie supporters raise more than £15k with Goatfell challenge

ARREST MADE IN PAUL DEATH

A 49-year-old man has been arrested and charged following the death of a man in a street in Kilmarnock last week. Emergency services were called to the Orchard Street area of the town on Tuesday evening, April 22 after a man was discovered...

£700K DRUG STASH SEIZED FROM INDUSTRIAL UNIT

Cops have seized £700,000 worth of cannabis at a Kilmarnock industrial estate. Detectives attended the unit in the Glenfield Place area of Kilmarnock at around 8.15am on Thursday, April 17 to execute a warrant and found a cultivation with a whopping...

NEW LEISURE PLANS FOR OLD POST OFFICE

Hospitality giants Buzzworks have unveiled ambitious plans to transform the former Post Office building in Kilmarnock’s John Finnie Street and Nelson Street into a mixed use development. The plans involve alterations to the building in order to make...

GIFT OF LIFE

A Kilmarnock man became a living organ donor to his 71-year-old mother-in-law after she suffered kidney failure. Richard Charlwood, a biomedical scientist at Crosshouse Hospital, stepped in after wife June was unable to provide the organ for mum Anne...

TOT ASSAULTED BY NURSERY WORKER

A nursery worker from Kilmarnock has been convicted of grabbing a little boy and dragging him across the floor. Louise Kitchen, 38, was found guilty of assaulting the tot at Marina View Nursery in Troon. Kitchen was accused of hurting the child at...

THUG JAILED AFTER BRUTAL ASSAULT ON WOMAN HOLDING BABY

A thug who brutally assaulted his lover while she held a baby in her arms has been jailed for 36 months. Michael Brown, 33, carried out the attack on the woman amid a five-year campaign of terror. Brown was enraged after the woman confronted him...

THE HOLE SHAMBLES

Almost a third of East Ayrshire roads are in need of repair, according to council roads bosses. The local authority unveiled a hitlist of top priorities as they look to remedy some of the region’s worst routes. Around 32 per cent of the local road...

CARE WORKER IS STRUCK OFF FOR ‘SEX MESSAGES’

A care worker has been struck off for sending messages to the partner of a service user that were ‘sexually motivated.’ Derek Morton was adjudged to have sent messages of a sexual nature via Facebook messenger to the service user’s partner, known only...

SOCIAL WORKER IS STRUCKOFF FOR FAILING SERVICE USERS

A social worker who was previously employed by East Ayrshire Council has been struck off for failings towards at least 30 service users. Kilmarnock-based Carrie Anne Michelle French has been removed from the social worker register after she breached a...

COUNCILTO PLUG£8.75M BLACKHOLE

East Ayrshire residents are bracing for huge cuts and price increases as the council looks to plug a £8.75m budget black hole. The local authority is proposing an eight per cent council tax rise along with cutting school crossing patrollers and axing...

BOY HIT BY BUS

A nine-year-old boy has been left in a serious condition after being hit by a bus. The youngster was struck by the coach on Glasgow Road in Kilmarnock on Sunday morning. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 11.45am on Sunday,...

KILLIE CAT FISH TOFEATUREON TV CRIME DOC

A prolific Kilmarnock catfish is set to be the subject of a new true crime series. Former NHS nurse Adele Rennie was sentenced to a third term behind bars last year after victimising several local women through dating apps and social media. The...

PRISON WORKER JAILED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING

A Kilmarnock woman who worked in a prison smuggled class A drugs into jail for her inmate lover. Sara Kachach, pictured, formed an intimate relationship with inmate Kasim Ahmed while working as a drug and alcohol recovery practitioner nurse at HMP...

CIRCUS TENT IN STORM CHAOS

Kilmarnock’s big top circus tent has collapsed after suffering catastrophic wind damage in Storm Eowyn. The structure, based at Ayrshire Athletics Arena, suffered severe damage as the red alert weather front battered the nation. East Ayrshire Leisure...

BUS PERVERT IS JAILED FOR SCHOOL GIRL RAPE THREAT

A raging Kilmarnock fan who vlogged about the club has been jailed for masturbating in front of school children on a bus. Gordon Sawers was sentenced to two years behind bars after an incident in which he threatened to “rape and stab”...

SUMMER OF BEER IN KILLIE

A renowned beer festival is set to take over the grounds of Rugby Park this summer, the Standard can exclusively reveal. The home of Kilmarnock FC is set to be transformed for the one-day event on Saturday, June 14 showcasing Scotland’s best breweries...

BUSBRIDGECRASH VICTIMSSETTOSUE STAGECOACH

Victims of a serious Kilmarnock bus crash days before Christmas are set to sue Stagecoach. Eight people were left injured after a double-decker bus smashed into a rail bridge on December 19 on Culzean Crescent. A 34-year-old man has since been...

Danny to exit Killie

But McInnes denies Hearts deal reports

HORROR BUS CRASH

A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with a road traffic offence following a horror bus crash in Kilmarnock. Eight people were taken to hospital after the Stagecoach vehicle smashed into a bridge on Culzean Crescent just before 2pm on...

BIG PLANS TO BATTLE THE BIRDS

East Ayrshire residents and businesses will need to do more to reduce the waste that attracts seagulls, according to officials. East Ayrshire Council discussed the issue at their final meeting of 2024, including plans to retire the hawks that have...

All the fun of a festive fayre...

That festive feeling arrived at Gargieston Primary as the school hosted its annual Christmas fayre. Organised by the school’s parent council, Santa stopped by and kids could meet him in his bespoke grotto, while parents and loved ones could enjoy home...

MUM FEARS EX WILL KILL HER

A Kilmarnock mum has warned that she faces being MURDERED by her violent expartner — if changes aren’t made to the criminal justice system. The mum of two, 35, fears her expartner will kill her one day, despite warning the authorities over the danger...

MAUREEN WAS ‘AN INCREDIBLE CHARACTER’

Tributes have been paid after Kilmarnock councillor Maureen McKay died after a long illness. Maureen, who was leader of the Labour group on East Ayrshire Council, served her constituents for almost two decades after first being elected to represent...

FORMER NURSE’S COVID RANTS

A former nurse at Crosshouse Hospital has been suspended for promoting Covid conspiracy theories. Tracey McCallum’s online rants landed her in hot water with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. McCallum, who worked for NHS 24 at the Kilmarnock...

MISINFORMATION SLAMMED ON MUSIC TUITION TRANSFER

A senior council officer has hit out at a ‘misinformation’ campaign around the transfer of instrumental music tuition to East Ayrshire Leisure Trust. The move is just a part of a wider shake-up of services in leisure review, that will see more than...

WASHEDOUT

Stricter housebuilding rules have washed out proposals to build new homes on a Kilmarnock flood plain. East Ayrshire councillors threw out blueprints to erect 62 new homes at the former BMK carpet factory site off Barbadoes Road. The development...

ALLTHE RAGE

An ambitious plan to bring a huge leisure complex to Kilmarnock town centre has been launched. Escape rooms and a rage room form part of a bid to transform disused space above the Burns Mall at the Cross. The vast site, comprising of 584 sq m, would...

ALANA WAS ONE IN A MILLION

A Darvel woman killed in a horror crash has been hailed as ‘one in a million’. Alana Muir was pronounced dead at the scene of the smash on the A71 between Newmilns and Darvel. The fatal collision took place last Thursday at 11.05am and involved a red...

CRUEL CARER KICKED DOG

A home care worker who assaulted a client’s dog has been struck off. Traceyanne Tennant kicked the pooch on its back leg and lifted it by its neck. The vile behaviour came to light as she was struck off for misleading her employer over the time she...

LAST ACTION HEROES

Kilmarnock defender Robbie Deas has described the situation at his old club Inverness Caledonian Thistle as‘heartbreaking’as they look to stave off administration. The Highland outfit launched a GoFundMe page earlier this month aiming to raise...

TRIBUTES TOTRAGIC MUM AND DAUGHTER

Tributes have flooded in for a Kilmarnock mother and daughter killed in a horrendous car crash. Rebecca Hill, 32, and her daughter Arianna, six, died following the smash last Tuesday evening on the A76 near the junction with the B713 between Mauchline...