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[corinne mitchell]

When I dealt with the previous owner it was a newsagent/confectionery and various groceries, how much was altered when he took over, I don't know.
I met him for the first time when he swaggered into my office declaring who he was. He used to 'phone with his gas order and I would arrange for it to be delivered to him.

The previous owner told me he regretted who had taken over as his son (GD) was a constant problem. Neighbours continually complained that he was regularly seen at a window with an air rifle and, the previous owner, who still lived there kept pigeons and he worried for their safety.

[Toth]

Any relatively normal people live in Dalkeith?
Seems everyone is a druggie, overly fond of weaponry, unemployed or always off on fools errands involving driving to strange destinations under unusual circumstances.

[corinne mitchell]

Ah yes Toth!

I can see how an "outsider" would think this.....but remember we are talking about mostly one family...a very extended family!!!

The majority of families are normal, law abiding people. Although Dalkeith is a small town its a bit like a miniature version of a large town as it is divided into areas. One minute, you are in an area of large private homes owned by affluent families and within minutes you are in council owned estates where the occupants are extremely "mixed"....from normal law abiding families to lets say ......some undesirables.

[Toth]

and within minutes you are in council owned estates where the occupants are extremely "mixed"....from normal law abiding families to lets say ......some undesirables.

It seems that the Lothian and Borders Constabulary are never quite able to take those few minutes to make a transition. The police there don't quite seem to walk the paths that school kids walk. Perhaps the police can be forgiven for this for it also seems that the police can't even find the paths that school kids seem to find without much difficulty. I guess I should not really condemn the local police for their inability to discern those undesirables. After all, when, after a great delay, the police do find themselves on those paths used by school kids and in close proximity to a corpse, it seems the police need the comforting presence of a fourteen year old schoolboy to show them the way.

I may have been unwise in revealing that my ancestors are from there, but perhaps I am very fortunate that the newspaper reporters there are so deficient.

[corinne mitchell]

Sorry to go off topic but last night when I went to visit Luke he gave me the best news ever......He got a letter from the SCCRC to say that they have agreed to review his case!!! They haven't given him a date yet but as soon as we know.....I'll let you know

Oh please God.....let this be the start of the end of our nightmare!!!!!

[admin]

Its absolutely brilliant news Corinne, and quick too! Please pass on my best to Luke, its about time you all heard something positive.

I know how much effort was put into the submission and it seems to have paid off, most people wait far longer to hear whether the SCCRC are going to review a case. The fact that its happened so quickly can only be good, lets hope the review itself will be prompt but thorough too.

I believe this is the start of the end of your nightmare, and the end of the beginning of someone else's. Someone killed Jodi, lets hope the review makes it possible for everyone to know who.

[shirley]

The news that the SCCRC has agreed to review the case is indeed extremely good news. Let us not forget however that this can be a long process as the Commission don't make referrals to the High Court easily.

The SCCRC may make a referral to the High Court only where it believes that (a) a miscarriage of justice may have occurred and (b) it is in the interests of justice that a reference should be made.  Note the 'and' in this statement by the SCCRC.

What this in fact means is that even if evidence is provided that some other individual may have been involved in the murder it does not necessarily clear Luke. The Court will still uphold a conviction if it appears to them that he is guilty irrespective of any new evidence or technical irregularities.  In such an instance therefore the SCCRC will not make a referral.

This is the harsh reality of so-called justice in Scotland in the 21st Century!

[corinne mitchell]

Thank you admin! I admit I was shocked at the speed in which they have acted, I was expecting the decision to take months so it was a very pleasant surprise!

And Shirley..................No~one is going to burst my bubble.......not to~day anyway!!

I have learned something in the past 7 years!...........Patience

[fishy]

Any relatively normal people live in Dalkeith?
Seems everyone is a druggie, overly fond of weaponry, unemployed or always off on fools errands involving driving to strange destinations under unusual circumstances.

What Corinne said about the abrupt transitions from leafy, bourgeois (in the best sense), dressed-stone prosperity to gritty (formerly) bluecollar, (formerly) public housing can also be underlined if it is recalled that until very recently the Gorebridge/Arniston/Newtongrange (site of the Scottish Mining Museum)/Mayfield/Easthouses/Dalkeith/Lasswade/Bonnyrigg area, and further afield, was almost entirely dependent on the deep-mining of coal.

An industry that tipped over into terminal decline in the late 1960's and '70s, before being extinguished almost completely in the political upheavals of the mid-1980's.
Resulting in a vast low- & no-skill male unemployment problem, chronic welfare dependency and a truly epic hard drug problem (see "Trainspotting" for local colour), comparable to the collapse of other former mining areas such as Fife, Ayrshire, Northumberland, South Yorkshire and Nottingham.

A drug, drink and attendant crime problem which pretty much precluded any organised political agitation from the now mostly unemployable workers and local youth (due solely to lack of opportunity, definitely not due to lack of talent or work-ethic, which was formerly of outstanding repute).

So people either left, to work. Or stayed. And didn't, except on a fairly haphazard and casual basis.

I hope somebody else can provide a better summary, best I can knock out for now.

[fishy]

... the best news ever ...

I really, really hope so. Best of luck, Luke.

[shirley]

Actually, it wasn't my intention to do so. I certainly agree that you are entitled to your moment having endured what you have over the last 7 years. I just hope you realise that the SCCRC is not a panacea for righting all wrongs as they certainly don't look upon themselves as such. They refuse to refer many cases back to the High Court when all the evidence suggests that they should do so. The question must therefore be asked as to why?  Is it a need to protect the police, the prosecuting authorities or the justiciary.  In just about every example where they refuse to make such a referral there is a public body with much credibility to lose.

Take Luke's case for example. Who is going to look like an absolute pillock when he is admonished?  There is Dobbie and Turnbull for starters!

[Toth]

He got a letter from the SCCRC to say that they have agreed to review his case!  

Good luck.

[gordo30]

Absolutely fantastic

I think everyone involved with the application should be commended.

The best of luck Luke and lets finally see the truth come out.

[shirley]

I would love to be a fly on the Jones' wall today!  ...and as for the real perpetrator and those who have conspired to cover up for him, no-doubt they will be quaking in their boots at the thought of another investigation.

All those lies to regurgitate!!

[gordo30]

It can take a long time and more so for a case like Luke's to be properly reviewed but i guess we are going to see a few strange things occurring on these forums in the foreseeable future.