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 Monday.

Woman who tried to kill toddler with drugs caged for six years

A woman who attempted to murder a toddler by repeatedly giving the child adult medication in a “utterly wicked” crime was today given a life sentence.

Laura Docherty dosed the little girl with antidepressant and pain killing drugs resulting in her needing to be resuscitated and placed on a ventilator during the prolonged abuse.

Docherty, 35, formerly of Canmore Road, Glenrothes, in Fife, denied attempting to murder the child during an earlier trial but was unanimously convicted of the crime.

She gave the child Amitriptyline, Propranolol and Dihydrocodeine on various occasions between April 2021 and February 2023 at a house in Edinburgh, the city’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and elsewhere to the danger of the victim’s life.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that as a result of taking the medication the girl, who was aged two when the offending began, suffered seizures and episodes of reduced consciousness.

The victim was admitted to hospital and was subjected to “unnecessary medical investigations and procedures” the attempted murder charge stated.

READ MORE: ‘Utterly wicked’ Woman who tried to kill toddler with drugs caged for six years

Two men die after being found injured in Glasgow flat

Two men have died after they were both found seriously injured at a flat in Glasgow.

Emergency services raced to Chancellor Street in Partick after the men, aged 50 and 54, were discovered at 4.40pm on Sunday, August 16.

Paramedics attended the address but both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

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Police say their deaths are currently being treated as unexplained. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out in due course.

Their families are aware. Inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the double-death are ongoing.

READ MORE: Two men die after being found injured in Glasgow flat as police probe ‘unexplained’ deaths

Woman arrested after two cops injured in ‘hit and run’

A woman has been arrested after two cops were injured in an alleged hit and run.

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The incident took place on Glen Avenue in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, at around 2pm on Saturday, July 25.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene after police received a report of two of their uniformed officers having been knocked down.

The force confirmed that the pair had been carrying out enquiries at a property in the area before a white Renault Traffic was “deliberately driven at them”.

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Both male officers, aged 41 and 43, were blue-lighted to hospital.

READ MORE: Woman arrested after two cops injured in ‘hit and run’ as police continue to hunt man

E-bike smashes into car seconds after wheelie stunt

A furious mum is demanding a ban on e-bikes after a reckless rider ploughed into the side of her car just seconds after pulling a wheelie stunt in the middle of the road in Aberdeenshire.

Gemma Davidson, 32, had been driving along Union Grove in Fraserburgh when the rider smashed into her new vehicle at around 5.30pm on Friday, August 14.

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The mum-of-one and her partner, who was also in the car, were left uninjured – however, the side of her motor was left damaged as a result of the collision.

Shocking Ring Doorbell footage captured at a nearby property was shared with Gemma after the smash took place.

It shows the rider of the bike pulling an erratic wheelie in the middle of the street just moments before colliding with Gemma’s car.

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His body was then filmed flying from the vehicle before crashing onto the road behind the car as impact took place.

Speaking to the Record, Gemma said: “It was so incredibly dangerous, he could have killed himself. I was left badly shaken up and worried that he had severely hurt himself.”

READ MORE: E-bike smashes into car seconds after wheelie stunt as mum demands ban ‘before someone is killed’

Man in hospital after ‘stabbing’ in Dunfermline

A man has been rushed to hospital following an alleged stabbing in Fife.

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The alarm was raised around 2.30pm when officers were alerted to a disturbance in the Tuke Street area of Dunfermline on Sunday, August 16.

Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene.

A 25-year-old was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious injuries. His current condition remains unclear.

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An investigation has now been launched to get to the bottom of what happened.

The full nature of the incident is not yet known. No arrests have been made thus far.

The street was sealed off by police last night after a large number of officers descended on the area.

READ MORE: Man rushed to hospital after ‘stabbing’ in Dunfermline as cops lock down street

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There will be food vendors and stalls at the event, selling popcorn, confectionery, drinks and slushies

A series of outdoor “drive thru” cinema experiences have been approved for Boucher Road Playing Fields this December.

Elected representatives at a Belfast City Council committee have approved a request from CinePark Limited to host the drive thru movies. The movie programme was not announced during the meeting.

CinePark will run a ticketing system where one car will buy only one ticket regardless of the number of people in the car. Standard tickets will cost £20 and premium £25.

READ MORE: Belfast Council to confiscate bins left out on the street seven days after warning

READ MORE: Good relations festival and two charity events given green light for Belfast parks in the Autumn

All tickets will be sold via the CinePark website, but the council states they will also take payment on site if required. There will be food vendors and stalls at the event, selling popcorn, confectionery, drinks and slushies.

The council report for the People and Communities Committee states: “The event organiser expects between 150 to 250 cars to attend the event per day split across different showings at different times of the day. The event organiser has scheduled a variety of movies to accommodate a wide audience demographic ranging from families with young children and teenagers, young couples through to a maturer audience.

“It’s likely to be themed very much around Christmas and the festive time of year and will give families something very different to do. CinePark Limited will be solely responsible for acquiring and maintaining all appropriate movie licences, rights, etc. for all the titles that will be shown.

“The event organiser will be using a 7×4 metre LED screen that comes on a trailer platform with a hydraulic system to raise the screen. The platform ensures quick installation and removal as no structure has to be built. A FM radio transmitter will be used to broadcast the audio for the movies directly to each car radio.”

Belfast’s most recent prominent temporary pop-up drive-in cinema was hosted at the Titanic Slipways by the Belfast Film Festival. A drive-in cinema event was last held at Boucher Road Playing Fields in December, 2020, featuring screenings of “The Grinch” and “Elf” as part of a Belfast City Council PEACE IV initiative

The primary regular drive-thru cinema near Belfast is at Let’s Go Hydro, at Knockbracken Reservoir in Carryduff, 10 minutes outside the city.

The council report states: “This proposed event will be the first time that CinePark Limited has held an event with Belfast City Council so council officers will carry out additional due-diligence when planning and regulating this event. Officers have already carried out checks with Companies House and early meetings and site visits with the organisers have been very constructive.

“Members are aware of the (committee) decision to return Boucher Road Playing Fields to full playing pitch provision. Whilst the work to develop the site is ongoing all decisions around current use of the playing fields will be taken on a case-by-case basis.”

The report adds: “The council will collect a fee for the hire of Boucher Road Playing fields. The promoter shall further pay to the council a social contribution fee which shall equate to 10 percent of the overall site fee received. The council will use this by way of investment back into the local community.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Summer brings many traditional events and festivals across the world. In much of England, summer is the theme of several folk celebrations dating back centuries. Far from negative and exclusionary ideas of national identity, the season actually showcases many positives.

Many towns and areas around the UK celebrate the summer, starting in May with “Jack in the Green” – a figure draped in leaves who has been slumbering since the previous year. The event, based on folkloric tales is increasingly important for local businesses to kick off summer trade.

For the past decade, I’ve been researching the significance of festivals for social connection, and for promoting sustainable lifestyle changes. Elsewhere, international research has also demonstrated that multi-day mass gatherings across the year can dramatically change our perspectives of who we are, and where we want our lives to lead.

I have found that mass gatherings can be especially important for those who are marginalised. They can also empower groups seeking social change. In a study that I undertook with colleagues, vegans who attended the Vegan Camp Out festival in Nottinghamshire reported feeling more connected to their vegan identity, and more willing to maintain their vegan activism after attending.

Events and mass-gatherings like this across the world can encourage people to pause and reconsider their idea of themselves and their place in the world.

The role of folklore

I am currently involved in a two-year project exploring the role that folklore plays in social and environmental connection in the south of England.

I’m working with filmmaker Rosie Robinson to explore how new iterations of old traditions (often known as “neo-folklore”) can help people reconnect to each other, British culture and the natural environment.

It can be too easy for conversations about identity to centre around discrimination and exclusion. Rosie’s film Merrie England highlights the current and historic tensions around ritual celebrations and traditions in English communities.

Throughout history, those with power have often had a vested interest in deciding who gets to claim these national identities and rituals for themselves, and who is excluded from celebrations. The film showcases the history of morris dancing in the UK using archive footage.

It details outrage directed at suffragette Mary Neal, whose aim was to popularise morris dancing for slum girls and working women in the 1910s and 1920s. While prominent figures in the folk revival sought to maintain morris dancing as an exclusive art form to be taken seriously by a select group, Neal saw it as part of living and breathing culture that should be accessible to all.

But this gatekeeping doesn’t match with what we see from communities in our ongoing research. In our work on local community folklore festivals, we saw community connection, meaningful rituals and celebration. We saw pubs overflowing, dancing in the streets, children listening to stories and people from all walks of life gathering to celebrate.

Community events happening over the summer festival season are an important way for neighbours and communities to connect. Free events help to build tourist interest in lesser-known communities, and are accessible forms of entertainment to those who can’t afford more expensive events.

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Solar eclipses are a source of fascination, legends and scientific discovery

These local traditions also help to develop new rituals around special events. The solar eclipse across Europe saw people sharing pinhole cameras, glasses and colanders. Seeing how others experience the world and celebrate can bring joy. And mass gatherings can even be the source of new cultural links, as seen in the connection formed between the Scotland team’s “Tartan Army” of supporters and residents of Boston.

Despite this, it’s often the case that bad news stories dominate the headlines. Research shows that “moral outrage” drives engagement with traditional and social media. In other words, people are more likely to engage with and share content that discusses harms. But for every negative viral headline, there are more feelgood stories about generous communities. These aren’t always shared in the same way, because they don’t draw the same attention.

That’s why my colleagues and I are researching these stories of community and connection. We want to share these stories and help people connect or reconnect with their communities, natural environment and local heritage.

Throughout summer, it’s worth remembering that cultural celebrations do not have to be exclusionary. They can be about morris dancing, processions, holding up colanders to look at the sun and even football chants. The season shows that national and cultural identities are important sources of celebration, silliness and connection – truly needed in this increasingly divided era.

The policeman brother of the siblings caught on camera battling officers at Manchester Airport described a black female colleague’s braided hair as ‘looking like a mop’, a misconduct hearing was told today.

PC Mohammed Abid is one of seven current and two former officers facing disciplinary proceedings over allegations of using racist language.

It comes after a policewoman claimed colleagues based at Bury police station regularly ‘mimicked’ her African accent, leaving her feeling ‘anxious’ and ‘nervous’.

In July 2024, there was widespread outrage when PC Abid’s younger brother Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, then 19, was seen being kicked in the face by a police officer in mobile phone footage which went viral.

However, CCTV footage later revealed that he and another brother, Muhammad Amaad, had violently resisted efforts to arrest Amaaz for headbutting of a tourist at Manchester Airport.

After a case which sparked accusations of police racism and claims of two-tier justice, Amaaz was jailed for assaulting two female officers.

But two juries failed to reach verdicts on whether he or Amaad had assaulted a male colleague.

Lawyers for the men repeatedly highlighted how neither brother – both from Rochdale – had been in trouble with the police before, and six members of the family are current or former officers with Greater Manchester Police.

PC Mohammed Abid and other constables are alleged to have used racist language towards black colleague PC Y at Bury police station (pictured) in Greater Manchester

Heavily-built Amaad, a former assistant manager at KFC, had himself twice applied unsuccessfully to join the force – including a 999 dispatch role just three months before the airport incident.

Both trials heard a glowing character reference from PC Abid, who praised his brother Amaaz’s ‘respectful, gentle and soft-spoken nature’ and ‘dedication to academic roles’.

‘He’s always looked up to me as a role model,’ he added.

But jurors were not told that PC Abid faced disciplinary proceedings over the racism allegation.

After the Manchester Airport case came to an end, the solicitor who represented the brothers at their trials claimed PC Abid’s identity had been leaked as part of a ‘desperate’ attempt to ‘smear’ his clients.

‘Sadly it comes as no surprise that Greater Manchester Police should now turn its attention to my clients’ brother,’ Aamer Anwar said.

A misconduct hearing heard today how constables based at Bury police station imitated the accent of a female officer originally from Africa who has been granted anonymity and is referred to as PC Y.

PC Abid is said to have spoken to PC Y – who at the time wore her hair in braids – and describing it as ‘looking like a mop’ before ‘smiling and walking away’.

CCTV from the Manchester Airport trial shows Amaaz (in blue) throwing 10 punches at the officers during the violence, while his brother – Muhammad Amaad (far left), 26 – threw six

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Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (pictured arriving at court in 2025) was later jailed for three-and-a-half years over the violence at Manchester Airport

‘PC Y believed the way she styled her hair was common among black ladies and that PC Abid made the comment because she is a black female,’ Steve Reed, counsel for Greater Manchester Police, told the hearing.

PC Abid claims her account is false, the hearing was told. He is not accused of mimicking her accent.

On another occasion, out of her earshot, Sergeant Adrian Bick pointed out a photograph of a black fraud suspect and said she could be Officer Y’s mother.

PC Demi Green then repeated the comment to Officer Y, the hearing was told.

Officer Y believed the comment was ‘in part at least’ because of the ‘shared skin colour’ of herself and the suspect.

Other constables on the team are accused of ‘mimicking’ Officer Y’s African accent, copying how she said words like ‘hello’.

They included PCs Heena Rani and Lucy Granby, who were part of a close-knit team with PC Y, the hearing was told. 

Giving evidence by videolink, PC Y was asked by Mr Reed how the alleged mimicking made her feel.

Amaaz was convicted of causing actual bodily harm to PC Ward, who suffered a broken nose, and assaulting PC Ellie Cook

Amaaz, 21 (left), and 26-year-old Muhammad Amaad pictured last year 

‘It was quite upsetting,’ she replied.

‘It made me uncomfortable, nervous, quite anxious as well.

‘I may have laughed, but I tend to laugh when I’m feeling those things.

‘As things got worse I tended to be quiet about it.

‘They would copy whatever I say and then they would laugh about it.’

The mimicking happened ‘most days’ and involved them ‘repeating the words she said, copying her… accent,’ Mr Reed said.

‘It was clear that PC Rani and PC Granby thought this was funny. [Officer Y] did not find it funny.’

After a colleague intervened, PCs Rani and Granby apologised to PC Y, the hearing was told, but the mimicking allegedly resumed.

Instead, Mr Reed said, other constables on the team began doing the same thing.

Fellow police officers recalled them ‘impersonating’ her ‘African accent’ and ‘deep laugh’, Mr Reed said, causing PC Y to appear ‘uncomfortable’.

PC Y came forward with her accusations in November 2023.

The other officers facing misconduct proceedings are PCs Matthew Barlow and Matthew Hill, as well as former PC Jake Holt and a former officer referred to only as A.

All nine are accused of breaching professional standards in relation to authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, and discreditable conduct.

Apart from Sergeant Bick and PC Abid they are also all accused of breaching requirements on challenging and reporting improper behaviour.

Sergeant Bick and PC Green admit the incident in which a suspect’s photograph was compared to PC Y’s mother took place.

Sergeant Bick claims he was referring to the suspect’s hairstyle and glasses, not the colour of her skin.

But he recognised the comment could be ‘perceived as racist’ and has apologised.

He is not accused of making any ‘derogatory’ comments in PC Y’s presence. 

PC Green also maintains she took Sergeant Bick’s comment as a reference to her ‘curly hair and glasses’, saying PC Y ‘laughed’ when she relayed it.

On the mimicking allegations, PC Green admits copying how PC Y said ‘ok’ in a ‘high-pitched manner’ but denies it amounted to racism.

PCs Rani and Granby also only accept copying how PC Y said ‘ok’ and say this was a ‘shared joke’ in the team.

PCs Barlow, Hill, Holt and Officer A gave similar accounts.

All nine are alleged to have subjected PC Y to ‘unwanted’, ‘offensive’ and ‘racist’ commentary, and all face being guilty of gross misconduct if the claims are found proven.

The Manchester Airport incident erupted after Amaaz headbutted a holidaymaker he had accused of racially abusing his mother, whom they had met from an incoming flight from Pakistan.

Amaaz, then 19, smashed PC Lydia Ward in the face, sending her sprawling to the ground, before repeatedly hitting armed colleague PC Ellie Cook.

Amaad meanwhile overpowered a second armed PC, Zachary Marsden, and began raining punches down before Amaaz joined in.

The brothers were finally both arrested after PC Cook fired her 50,000 volt Taser at Amaaz, who fell to the floor.

Amid the confusion, PC Marsden kicked the teenager in the face and aimed a stamp close by.

Footage of the kick went viral, with protesters taking to the streets and calling for the police to be ‘defunded’.

But there was a fierce backlash after CCTV showed the violence to which the officers had been subjected seconds earlier.

Amaaz was last year convicted of causing actual bodily harm to Sergeant Ward and assaulting PC Cook, as well as the headbutted passenger.

But two juries failed to reach verdicts on whether either brother had assaulted PC Marsden.

To widespread outrage, prosecutors later said they could not ‘lawfully’ seek a second retrial, meaning older brother Amaad, 26, faces no further action.

In May, the policewoman left bloodied and sobbing in Amaaz’s attack branded him a ‘coward’ as he was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

PC Ward – now a sergeant – accused the university drop-out of showing ‘not one ounce’ of remorse for using her ‘as a punch bag’.

Delivering a powerful victim impact statement, the mother of one spelt out the lasting physical and mental scars of having her nose broken in the ‘utterly terrifying’ assault, telling the university drop-out: ‘You changed my face.’

Sergeant Ward accused him of having ‘played the victim’ when one-sided footage first emerged.

And she movingly revealed she had been forced to bring her newborn child with her when she gave evidence, telling 21-year-old Amaaz a court was ‘no place for a baby’.

Jailing Amaaz for 42 months for the ‘unprovoked’ assaults, Judge Neil Flewitt accused him of showing ‘a total lack of remorse’.

He ‘sought to blame others for what was clearly your responsibility’ and ‘portray yourself as a victim,’ he added.

PC Marsden remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct which could still refer him back to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential charges.

Separate to today’s disciplinary proceedings, four officers also from the Bury district face misconduct proceedings after the IOPC investigated an unrelated incident of alleged racism.

That inquiry is understood to have been triggered after comments were accidentally recorded on a suspect’s mobile phone.

It saw one officer, PC Scott Dixon, sacked, reportedly for using the word ‘golliwog’ towards a fellow officer.

The hearing continues.

The Premier League have confirmed their broadcast selections for Premier League matches in matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9, with Man United and Manchester City both seeing games moved.

Manchester United and Manchester City have both had games moved as part of the latest Premier League broadcast selections.

The Premier League have confirmed their broadcast selections for matches in matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9, and both United and City have seen games in that period moved.

United’s clash with Tottenham will now be played at 17:30 on Saturday, 10 October, with their trip to Leeds now set to kick off at 14:00 on Sunday, 18 October. Their home game against Bournemouth will be played on Sunday, 25 October at 14:00, with the trip to Chelsea now scheduled to take place at 12:30 on Saturday, 31 October.

Meanwhile, City’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool will kick off at 16:30 on Sunday, 11 October, with the home game against Ipswich set for Saturday, 17 October (15:00 kick-off). City will head to Villa Park on Saturday, 24 October for a 12:30 kick-off, though that game will be moved to 20:00 should Villa be drawn away in Champions League the preceding Wednesday, and the home game against Brighton will take place on Saturday, 31 October (15:00 kick-off).

Take a look at the revised fixture list for matchweeks 6, 7, 8 and 9 below:

Manchester United revised fixtures:

Saturday, 10 October: Manchester United v Tottenham (17:30 kick-off)

Sunday, 18 October: Leeds v Manchester United (14:00 kick-off)

Sunday, 25 October: Manchester United v Bournemouth (14:00 kick-off)

Saturday, 31 October: Chelsea v Manchester United (12:30 kick-off)