In the latest in our series on unsolved gangland murders the Daily Record examines the fatal stabbing of drugs suspect Martin Toner 22 years ago and how his death remains a mystery to this day

It was early in the morning and a farmer was collecting hay bales when he spotted the body of a man concealed under a hedge.

He called the police who discovered the man had been stabbed several times and his throat slashed.

It also looked like he victim had been killed elsewhere and his body dumped in the field, near the Renfrewshire village of Langbank.

Detectives quickly identified the victim as 34 year old father-of-two Martin Toner from the south side of Glasgow.

He had been reported missing by his wife two weeks earlier and was due to appear in court on cocaine smuggling charges.

Toner, who ran a bin cleaning company, was last seen around 3pm on June 29, 2004, in Langbank’s Main Street and at the Key To Life gym in the Pollokshaws area of Glasgow earlier in the day.

At the time he went missing, almost 22 years ago, police assumed he had gone on the run because of his forthcoming trial. But his family were always convinced he’d been murdered and would never leave his children behind.

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As with all murders with a gangland connection police quickly met a wall of silence and struggled to find an obvious motive.

They believed Toner had been lured to his death on the day of his disappearance perhaps by someone he knew and trusted. Appeals for information by the police and family members elicited little response, despite the offer of a £3000 reward.

One senior officer said at the time: “Mr Toner’s alleged involvement in criminality has been widely reported and may be one of the reasons why there is a reluctance on the part of some people to speak to the police.”

The victim’s distinctive Berghaus sports hold-all and mobile phone were also never found.

Eventually the case was wound down and officers moved to other duties until a dramatic development a decade later In 2014 former police officer Douglas Fleming, then 50, was charged with Martin Toner’s murder and stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow the following March.

Now a property developer Fleming was alleged to have killed Toner in the grounds of Gleddoch Estate, Langbank, ten years earlier, before dumping the body in the farmers field.

Fleming, who had served as a Constable with Central Scotland Police for three years in the 1980’s, had become a suspect after admitting giving the murder victim a lift to Langbank on the day he went missing.

They had met earlier at the gym in Pollokshields at around 2.30pm. Fleming then dropped Toner close to the railway station in Langbank and said that was the last he saw him.

At the end of the trial Fleming was cleared after the jury found the murder charge not proven.

A murder charge against a second man was dropped earlier in the trial.

Fleming had been previously cleared in 2008 of conspiracy to import cocaine to Scotland from Colombia, also on a not proven verdict.

Toner had been due to stand trial with Fleming on the same charges.

The day he vanished was the day before their pre-trial hearing.

Both men had been accused of trafficking millions of pounds’ worth of cocaine from Colombia to Antwerp, Belgium.

A trial was told that plain-clothes officers from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency trailed Fleming to Antigua, in the West Indies, where he met Martin Toner.

Fleming admitted knowing Toner but denied having anything to do with drugs.

To this day it is not clear why he was murdered

One theory was that certain major underworld figures were worried that he might give evidence against them at his forthcoming drugs trial and expose their activities.

Two years before his murder Toner had been involved in a dispute with two brothers from the Glasgow area said at the rime to control the cocaine trade in Scotland.

In 2002, one of them had allegedly gone to Toner’s house and tried to shoot him but the gun jammed and then he tried to stab him.

However Toner who was a martial arts expert was able to overpower his assailant and fend him off.

The two brothers are said to have relocated to Portugal and then Brazil from where they ran their criminal empires.

Nothing has been heard from them for more than six years and they are now feared dead.

It’s not known why Toner went to Langbank on the day of the murder.

It has been suggested he was there to collect £100,000 he had secretly hidden away.

The Toner family have always insisted he was not a big time gangster.

In a 2015 interview his brother James said :”When I think gangster’, I think Al Capone. Martin was not Al Capone.

“He was a family man, who was dedicated to his wife and his two kids. “Everything he did, he did to provide for them.”

Graeme Pearson, former Director General of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) said the Martin Toner case reflected the growing international element to drug dealing at the time.

He says criminals of that era from both Glasgow and North Lanarkshire were making contacts abroad and running shoplifting teams in places like Paris and Amsterdam using football matches as a cover.

Around this time the name of the agency changed from the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency to the SCDEA in recognition of the growth of organised crime linked to the drugs trade and money laundering.

Mr Pearson added:”When we got to the late 1990s and the early 2000’s that was when things really began to expand.

“Martin Toner was well known at the time.

“But he wasn’t one on the first tier in terms of paying attention to him.

“You had a whole panoply of people who were travelling abroad and making links with European criminals and sharing phone numbers and emails and building up trust.

“During these early days some of the so called trustworthy people were not so trustworthy.

“So at the Scottish end people did get ripped off and grassed up and that is where a lot of these violent crimes emanated from.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The murder of Martin Toner remains unresolved. Unresolved murders are cases that are never closed and Police Scotland is fully committed to identifying those people responsible for all such cases.

“Police Scotland works closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and meets regularly to review outstanding unresolved murders from across the country. Working collaboratively, the potential for new investigative opportunities are regularly assessed to maximise the ability to deliver justice for grieving families, irrespective of the passage of time.

“As with any unresolved murder case, we would review any new information provided to police and investigate further if appropriate.”

Cambridge residents had plenty of positive and negatives to say about life in the city

Cambridge was recently named one of the best places to live in Britain by the Sunday Times alongside areas like Skipton, Richmond and Norwich, which came in first place. While it is loved by many people for its green spaces and rich history, other residents point out some of the city’s negative sides such as public transport and potholes.

When asked what they think about Cambridge being named one of the best places to live, a few residents were not surprised. Polina Poganovska, a photographer working in Cambridge, said: “It is not surprising. Cambridge has a good pace to it and living here allows you to appreciate life in the slow moments and the busy ones. It might seem that the city is too small to be a city, but I like the cosiness of it.”

Emily, a resident who has lived here her whole life, also mentioned liking how small the city is. She said: “You can get from one side of Cambridge to the other by bike quite quickly. I cycled here and it took me less than 20 minutes and to get to the other side of Cambridge from here, it would also take less than 20 minutes.”

She continued by mentioning a few of the services you can find in the city such as the “good state schools” and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. She added: “The city has lots of nice cafés. I like a good little café. Lots of cute little restaurants as well. The university is very pretty. I think it’s a very nice place to live. It’s quite pretty and it’s usually quite clean. I’ve lived here my whole life so I don’t really have anything to compare it to but I do quite like it.”

Faith Disch, who works at Homerton College, loves how different Cambridge is throughout the seasons and enjoys the “many local pubs” in the city. She added: “Spring is especially beautiful and provides an opportunity to see the curated gardens of the different Cambridge colleges. In and around Cambridge, there are beautiful walking paths which display rolling meadows, weeping willow trees, and sometimes cows. The pubs and restaurants here are fantastic, and offer delicious seasonal dishes.”

The range of green spaces were also brought up by John, who is originally from America. He said: “There are lots of things I love about Cambridge. There’s a lot of green space and it’s a good walkable city. I like the river and there’s lots of places to take walks outside. If you live within the city, you don’t need a car. I love how there are a lot of things in a very short distance so you can get from place to place quickly.”

He went on to mention that he has a lot of frustrations when it comes to living in Cambridge such as how expensive it is to live there and the public transport. He said: “The transportation inside Cambridge is terrible. I feel like this would be a great place to have a tram, for example. The centre of the town is so congested with cars. People wait for 40 minutes for a bus so I think public transportation needs to be improved. It’s frustrating because it could be such a great city. There are so many things that need to be improved that could be done.”

Emily has had her bus service into the city centre cut from every 10 minutes to now every 15 minutes but said it comes “more like once every 20 minutes, which is such a pain”. Faith would also make some changes to the public transport in the city.

She said: “Many people I know also do not enjoy spending time in the infamous Cambridge traffic. It is quite a compact city, so double decker buses here are not always the most practical. I think that a tram of some kind could be a more efficient way of transporting people in and around Cambridge. The Netherlands makes effective use of trams, and Amsterdam and Utrecht are cities that share similarities with Cambridge with narrow streets, historical buildings, and waterways.”

Faith also acknowledge how expensive it is to live in Cambridge, which has pushed many people to live in villages around the city causing commutes to be “crowded”. She added: “Cambridge is rapidly expanding, and space is truly at a premium here. The price of living in central Cambridge is high, which means that people are living further away from Cambridge to find affordable housing.”

Whether or not you love living in Cambridge, it is definitely a popular place to be for both tourists and those looking for a quieter city to live in. But the city does have a few issues that many residents agree on.

Now, Takaichi says this framework no longer reflects reality. Geographically, Japan sits in a challenging neighbourhood with an assertive China, an unpredictable North Korea, and Russia nearby. And the United States, its closest ally, has been encouraging Tokyo to play a more active security role.

Mulberry Court in Rawcliffe took residents to Burnby Hall gardens in Pocklington to enjoy the final day of the venue’s tulip festival.

Burnby Hall was a gift from Major Stewart to the local community and each year welcomes thousands of visitors to its gardens.

Rachael Moss, general manager at Mulberry Court, said: “Our garden is a much-loved space; our residents really enjoy looking after the plants and flowers and watching them grow and change through the seasons.

“It has been wonderful to see all the beautiful garden designs at Burnby Hall, it has given us real inspiration to try some new planting schemes and see what we can achieve in our own garden.”

During the outing, residents enjoyed feeding the large carp, chatting with the garden team, and reminiscing about their own favourite plants.

Norman, a resident at Mulberry Court, said: “I just love to come here.

“It has brought back so many wonderful memories for me, and it is just so lovely to see all the gorgeous blooms and beautiful colours.”

Mulberry Court is operated by Barchester Healthcare.

Big Bear Bikes has been named the first-ever winner of the national Local Bike Shop Week Award, which celebrates independent stores that prioritise in-person service over online sales.

The result was decided by a public vote, with Big Bear Bikes securing 42 per cent of the total.

David Beeley, founder and managing director of Big Bear Bikes, said: “Big Bear Bikes is thrilled to win the Local Bike Shop Week Award.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to all the team at BBB and our satellite shop, Dalby Forest Cycle Hub, and especially to all our customers for their support.”

Mr Beeley added that keen cyclists make up the team at Big Bear Bikes, saying: “We believe the best place to buy and have your bike looked after is a good quality, local bike shop at the heart of its community.

“We are very proud to be delivering that in the Pickering and Dalby Forest area.”

The shop offers a selection of around 150 bikes, a full workshop, a bike fit studio, and a parts department, along with brands such as Trek, Santa Cruz, Orbea, and Raleigh.

The famous naturalist turns 100 years old today

He’s inspired countless generations to discover the natural world, bringing adventure, wonder, dinosaurs, and polar bears into millions of homes. Today, British icon Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday.

With his reassuring whisper, Sir David has educated and entertained generations through his wildlife documentaries, from the scorching plains of the Serengeti to the remote depths of Earth’s oceans.

Born on 8 May 1926, his fascination with nature began in childhood when he collected fossils. He later studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge.

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Now arguably the world’s most famous naturalist, he is both a reassuring voice in our living rooms and a long-time campaigner warning of the damage being done to Earth’s natural environment.

His programmes have earned him awards from all over the world. In April, 2005, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the Queen, in recognition of exceptional distinction in the arts, sciences and other areas.

He was knighted in 1985. Over the years, he has received numerous honorary degrees and prestigious awards, including the Fellowship of the Royal Society.

Sir David is a trustee of the British Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and president of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

As he celebrates his 100th birthday, you can leave a message for Sir David Attenborough below, wishing the TV icon a happy centenary.

More than 45 artists and creatives will exhibit work across two floors of the Grade II-listed former cotton spinning mill on this Friday and Saturday.

Visitors will be able to explore personal studios and gallery spaces featuring canvas art, prints, pottery, textiles and stained-glass pieces, with work available to view and buy.

The event will also include live music and refreshments on Friday evening, while Saturday will feature a homemade cake and coffee morning in aid of Crohn’s & Colitis UK.

A spokesman said: “The FaMAS open studios event is almost here, and we invite you to join us.

“In addition to arts and crafts, Friday night brings live music and refreshments.

The event is free to attend, with organisers encouraging families and first-time visitors to come along this weekend.

Over 50 creatives rent studios at Falcon Mill Artist Studios, alongside three affiliated artists and five guest artists selected from submissions.

The organisers said visitors would be welcome to “browse, buy or just to have a nosey” around the mill, which has been transformed into artist studios and gallery spaces.

The event takes place on Friday from 7 pm to 10 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

Organisers added: “We would love to see you. Feel free to enter studios to talk to the artists.”

This is an event that has happened before, and is expected to carry on strong again.

The award seeks to find York’s best hidden gems, celebrating the small businesses that line the city’s high street.

The shop, which first opened in the 16th century Sir Thomas Herbert’s House in the city centre in 2019, offers a unique blend of locally distilled gins, tastings and experiences.

It compliments a boutique distillery located in the Middleton’s Hotel in Skeldergate.

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Speaking about this, creator Emma Godivala said: “Everything we do and make is of the highest quality, we are open and honest, and we show the greatest respect to people and planet.

“Powered by green energy, plastic-free and sending zero waste to landfill, we are a Living Wage employer and support local charities and good causes.”

The shop opened in 2019 and has gone from strength to strength, adding a boutique distillery last year (Image: Matthew Kitchen Photography)

York Gin has been the subject of multiple awards, including gold medal certification at the world’s top spirit competitions.

It is set to launch three limited-edition gins to support three charities close to the company’s heart – St Nicholas Fields, York Cats Protection and St Leonard’s Hospice.

Emma said: “These are hot off the press and details will be made public over the next few weeks.

“We will also be at North Yorkshire Cat Centre (York Cats Protection) 25th anniversary fundraiser this summer.”

Customers at the York Gin shop greeted by one of the team’s expert staff members (Image: Matthew Kitchen Photography)

The shop is dog friendly and offers a huge variety of gins, including best-seller Old Tom, London Dry and Outlaw Navy, which can come in miniatures, or as personalised bottles or as delicious marmalades.

For those wanting a more in-depth experience, York Gin Distillery offers additional tastings and gin-making sessions, guided by experts.

Speaking about the recognition in the Press Best Independent Retailer competition, Emma said: “It means so much to be part of the York community.

“We are definitely not only open for tourists.

“Our refill station, which gives a significant discount for customers who bring in a bottle to be refilled, shows our commitment to providing York residents with a great reason to visit.”

You can select York Gin as your winner this year by filling out a voting slip, which is included in each edition of our paper until Thursday (May 14).

As the world continues to monitor an outbreak of deadly hantavirus on a Dutch cruise ship off the West African coast, many on social media have wondered if the rare, rodent-borne illness could trigger the next global pandemic and reinstate Covid-era lockdowns.

Researchers are tracing passengers who were potentially exposed to the virus in Georgia, California, Arizona, Virginia and Texas and in other countries around the world.

But experts still say there is little reason to believe hantavirus – and even this rare strain – will spread widely.

“The key to transmission is shedding virus in the presymptomatic and asymptomatic phase,” Vincent Racaniello, Higgins Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University, told Newsweek Wednesday. “Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 are very good at it. For hantavirus, the barrier is efficient human-to-human transmission,” he said.

Even on the vessel with nearly 200 passengers and crew, infections have only been seen in people with the closest contact, including as a married couple. Three people have died, including the couple, and three cases of hantavirus have been confirmed by laboratory testing since mid-March.

The ship is currently making its way to the Canary Islands, where it is expected to evacuate passengers, none of whom are showing symptoms of the virus, according to shipowner Oceanwide Expeditions.

Several passengers have already been medically evacuated and 30 guests disembarked the ship at St. Helena on April 24, including six of the ship’s 17 Americans.

Hantavirus is fatal in nearly four out of 10 people who are infected, with fever and dizziness typically seen within two months after contact with an infected rodent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But the risk to the American public remains “extremely low,” the agency assured Wednesday.

That’s a sentiment echoed by the World Health Organization and its leaders, too.

“This is not the next Covid, but it is a serious infectious disease,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the organization’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “Most people will never be exposed to this.”

A virus such Covid is much more easily transmissible through the air and can spread before symptoms start.

Whereas this strain of hantavirus, known as Andes virus, is usually limited to people who have close contact with the ill person – though there has been little research conducted on its spread.

It can also be spread for weeks after falling ill, but a previous outbreak in Argentina showed the window for transmitting Andes virus appears to just be about a day, Dr. Gustavo Palacios, a microbiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, told CNN.

First detected in the U.S. in the early 1990s, the virus has had plenty of time to explode.

“If it were going to become an epidemic, it would have happened a long time ago,” Thomas Ksiazek, a virologist with extensive experience tracking emerging infectious diseases, also told Newsweek.

While experts are insistent that the next pandemic is not Andes virus, researchers have long warned it’s on the horizon.

The prospect of disease outbreaks will likely triple in the coming decades, with the probability of a pandemic similar to Covid sitting at about 2 percent in any year, researchers at Duke University’s Global Health Institute said in 2021.

“Is there another pandemic coming? Yes. When? Which pathogen? How severe will it be? No one can say for sure,” Yonatan Grad, a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a statement in 2024.

“But the big demographic changes that are coming, due to climate change as well as economic and other factors, will alter the landscape and create new risks, both for new pathogens to emerge and for known pathogens to re-emerge,” he added.

The Foreign Office has warned British travellers that hantavirus is now a health concern in Argentina and it has added the virus to its travel advice for people heading to the nation in South America.

It comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said there are now five confirmed cases in the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise, which set sail from Argentina on 1 April. Three people have died either on board the vessel or after travelling on it.

Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said eight cases of the virus have been reported, with five confirmed and three suspected.

Although none of the passengers or crew currently on board are symptomatic, Dr Ghebreyesus warned more cases may be identified given the incubation period of the virus, which can be up to six weeks, but said the public health risk is low.

Additionally, four British nationals remain in overseas territory St Helena after disembarking the cruise on the tiny island in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Seven British people got off the vessel there last month, before the hantavirus outbreak was announced, and two have returned to the UK to isolate, while the seventh individual has also been contacted and is not currently in the UK.