Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.
If you love to read about crime in Scotland – this is the place to be every day.
Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Wednesday.
A man has appeared in court charged with murder after the death of a nine-year-old girl in Arbroath. Christopher Ryan Rice, 35, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court on Wednesday, August 5.
View 6 ImagesMinnie Merriman
Rice, of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, made no plea and was remanded in custody while the case was committed for further examination. He is expected to reappear in court within the next eight days.
Minnie Merriman died after she was found seriously injured at the Angus town’s Elliot Industrial Estate at 12.02am on Monday, August 3. The nine-year-old was rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, but tragically died a while later.
Three others were also taken to hospital and later released. Officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with Minnie’s death. Rice and Minnie were known to each other.
Read more: Man appears in court charged with murder of ‘beautiful’ girl, 9, in Arbroath
A fugitive Scots sex offender was captured by police in Spain. John Rocks, 37, was wearing glasses and a cap when he was arrested on the street in Madrid on August 1.
View 6 ImagesJohn Rocks was arrested on a busy street.(Image: Spanish Police)
His capture comes after a failed search for him in the Costa Blanca resort of Benidorm. It was thought the Scot had been hiding out there and getting help from friends to remain on the run.
Rocks is wanted by Police Scotland over several sex offences committed between 2012 and 2022 and featured on the National Crime Agency’s Most Wanted list.
Footage released by Spanish police today showed two plain-clothes officers taking him to a police patrol car after pouncing on him in a busy street.
Read more: Fugitive Scots sex offender captured by Spanish cops in major surveillance sting
A defiant biker has blasted the “masked and heavily armed” thugs who attacked him and his gang in a bloodbath motorway ambush.
View 6 ImagesMad Dog Scotland Biker Gang(Image: Facebook)
Mark “Bruni” Brown – president of the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club – said he and his fellow bikers were attacked with swords and bats by “cowardly cardboard gangster puppets”. He insisted “we’re still standing and always will be” after allegedly being set upon by 12 weapon-wielding yobs.
The tattooed 63-year-old has vowed to fight on after being hospitalised as a result of the shocking violence on Sunday, which is being investigated by Police Scotland. Officers were scrambled to the M74 near Lesmahagow after violence erupted on the motorway.
In a social media post which has since been deleted, Bruni wrote: “A bit of background to what has been going on with the dogs. This is NOT rumours or bulls***, just straight facts.
Read more: Defiant biker blasts ‘masked’ thugs who attacked him in bloodbath motorway ambush
A man who tried to murder his ex-partner by stabbing her in a violent attack while she pushed a pram has been jailed for more than seven years.
View 6 ImagesOsarenkhoe Atutie has been jailed for attempted murder.(Image: Police Scotland)
Osarenkhoe Atutie, 26, pounced on Victory Atutie on Duke Street, Leith, on November 11 last year. He left her with 12 separate injuries, including a collapsed lung, after repeatedly stabbing her on her head and body.
The 30-year-old mum was saved when members of the public stepped into help her and apprehended Atutie before officers arrived at the scene. Victory was rushed to hospital with potential life-threatening injuries.
Atutie was handed an extended sentence of nine years after admitting attempted murder at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, with a custodial term of seven years and six months followed by 18 months on licence.
Read more: Murder bid thug stabbed ex-wife 12 times while she pushed pram in Edinburgh
A man accused of killing a Scots charity worker and dumping her body in a suitcase has appeared at court in Athens.
View 6 ImagesSharif Ahmadzai is bundled into the back of a car outside court.(Image: PA)
The suspect, Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, was flanked by a number of cops.
Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, was discovered by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of the Greek capital on July 18.
He arrived on Wednesday morning in an unmarked grey Hyundai i30 car and left in the same car about an hour later.
Ahmadzai is understood to have been assigned a court-appointed lawyer during the hearing, which took place in private.
Read more: Suspect in murder of Scottish woman found dead in suitcase arrives at court in Greece
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