Kevin Quinn

Clynton Hagen pleaded guilty after violently shaking his partner’s Chihuahua, Ollie, in East Calder in June 2024, causing a fatal brain haemorrhage. Livingston Sheriff Court imposed a five-year ban on owning or keeping animals and ordered him to complete 265 hours of unpaid work. Ollie’s owner, Kara Davies, welcomed the accountability but called for longer sentences and bans in serious cruelty cases. The Scottish SPCA renewed its campaign for a National Animal Offenders Register to help detect breaches, prevent repeat offending and identify wider safeguarding risks.

Suri Noelle, the 20-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, is performing as Helena in Midsummer!, a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama student’s production runs at Bijou at Assembly through August 19, excluding August 12. The appearance follows an earlier staged reading and reports that she is using her mother’s middle name professionally amid an estrangement from her father.

Edinburgh’s North Bridge is set to fully reopen to traffic and pedestrians after eight years of restoration work, with the final restrictions scheduled to be removed by 7pm on 31 July 2026. The Category A Listed bridge has undergone structural steelwork repairs, repainting, façade restoration and the installation of a permanent access platform. The City of Edinburgh Council and contractor Balfour Beatty described the reopening as a major milestone, while acknowledging that the project took longer and cost more than initially expected. Further work is due to continue later in the year, alongside social-benefit initiatives involving schools, universities, charities and community groups.

CCTV shows convicted Edinburgh rapist Aaron Strachan escaping from officers while being taken to a prison van after a Court of Session hearing. Strachan had admitted attacking a 15-year-old girl in York Place in May 2025, as well as assaulting two men with weapons. Police recaptured him several hours later. At the High Court in Edinburgh, he was ordered to serve at least five years before parole consideration, although the judge warned he might never be released, and he was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

An 85-year-old woman died in hospital days after being struck by a red Peugeot 208 outside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on July 20. An 88-year-old man who was also hit remains in hospital with serious injuries. Police Scotland is investigating and has appealed for witnesses and information.

Emergency services attended The Mound in Edinburgh after a man was reported on the roof of a building in the Lawnmarket area shortly after 1am on June 12, 2026. Police, fire and ambulance crews remained at the scene, with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deploying two appliances and a high-reach appliance, while the ambulance service sent an ambulance and two specialist response teams. Police Scotland said there was no risk to the public.

The 2026 Royal Highland Show will run from June 18 to 21 at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, near Edinburgh Airport. Visitors can reach it by tram, local and regional buses, and tickets remain available. Attractions include livestock competitions, the Grand Parade, food producers, equestrian events, agricultural machinery, forestry demonstrations, rural skills and children’s activities. New for 2026 is The Reeling, a live music event featuring traditional and contemporary acts. Organisers expect a large attendance, with practical clothing and waterproof footwear recommended for the extensive outdoor site.

Edinburgh’s annual Taxi Outing for children with additional needs and life-limiting conditions will proceed after council leader Jane Meagher confirmed that no licence is required. The event had faced uncertainty following the withdrawal of Police Scotland motorcycle escorts and concerns that a licence application remained unresolved shortly before the outing. Meagher said the council, police and East Lothian Council had reached a solution, while organiser Keith J Bell criticized the late clarification and stressed the need for certainty for participating families.

Organisers of the Edinburgh Taxi Outing feared the annual parade could be jeopardised after its event licence remained pending two days before the scheduled outing. The application was submitted 51 days in advance, but the council said it was awaiting confirmation from its roads department, despite a temporary traffic regulation order already being issued. Committee secretary Keith J Bell criticised the delay, while the City of Edinburgh Council reassured organisers that the parade was permitted to go ahead and promised to clarify the documentation requirements.

A five-bedroom detached country villa named Brigadoon, in Penston near Tranent, East Lothian, is listed for offers over £950,000. The luxury property includes an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, 43-square-metre snooker room, multiple reception areas, extensive storage, private parking, a carport, and wraparound gardens. Viewings are available through estate agent Gilson Gray.

The City of Edinburgh Council has approved plans to convert the listed Granton Lighthouse into a community-focused creative hub. The refurbishment will include a café, shop, exhibition areas, music rehearsal and recording studios, co-working and smaller creative workspaces, improved accessibility, and a viewing platform in the lighthouse lantern. Out of The Blue Arts and Education Trust will operate the building, which currently contains music facilities and storage. Approval is subject to conditions covering archaeological work, insulation, landscaping and other safeguards. One local resident objected over noise, storage and courtyard-use concerns, while the Lord Cockburn Association supported the project. Work must begin within three years.