National Focus

Stories from Scotland

Homicides in Scotland Rise From Record Low 

The latest statistics published by the Scottish government in late October show 56 recorded homicides in 2025-26. 

According to Police Scotland, the statistics show a rise of 19% in homicides (nine victims) from the 47 recorded in 2024-25. Regardless of the increase, the number is still the fourth-lowest rate on record for Scotland, with less than half of the 121 recorded homicides twenty years ago. 

Of the fifteen women killed in the past year, 67% (ten victims) were killed by a partner or ex-partner. In response, Justice Secretary Neil Gray stated that this figure reinforced the Scottish government’s “absolute determination” to confront violence against women and girls. 

Rapist Jailed for Eight Years in Inverness 

Michael Robb, 74, has been found guilty of lewd and libidinous behaviour and practices, indecent assault, and rape. 

According to the BBC, Robb attacked a ten-year-old girl between 1982 and 1986, targeting the child when she was sleeping. The victim, who remains anonymous, stated in her testimony to the High Court in Inverness that she repeatedly fought back during the abuse.

The jury took two days to deliberate before finding Robb guilty, and Judge Simon Collins KC remanded Robb to custody with deferred sentencing for the court to obtain a background report on the offender. Robb reportedly did not accept the verdict, and Judge Collins stated, “Inevitably therefore he expresses no remorse or victim empathy, but rather accuses the complainer of fabricating her account for various malicious reasons.” 

The victim thanked the jury for “finding the truth” in her words. She said: “I will never know who I could have been, who I should have been if the trajectory of my life wasn't so cruelly changed.” 

Schoolgirl Killed in Stagecoach Bus Accident 

A twelve-year-old schoolgirl was killed in a bus accident in North Ayrshire, and was identified as Sophia Aitken, a local from Kilwinning. 

At around 1:10pm on Tuesday, 3 November, emergency services were called to the scene following a crash involving a pedestrian and a double-decker bus on Lauchlan Way in Kilwinning. According to a statement from Police Scotland, Sophia was pronounced dead at the scene, and no other injuries or casualties were reported. The bus driver has not been named, and the Police stated that their investigation is still ongoing. 

Stagecoach Scotland confirmed that the vehicle involved in the crash was one of their buses. Regional Director Fiona Doherty stated, “We are supporting our colleagues directly involved in the incident. We continue to provide every support we can to Police Scotland with its enquiries as its investigation continues.”