Man involved in gang feud admits hunting for hidden gun

Liam McDermid admitted being involved in organised crime at the High Court in Edinburgh

A man who tried using a metal detector to find a hidden gun has pled guilty to involvement in serious and organised crime in the first case connected to a gangland feud in central Scotland.

Liam McDermid unsuccessfully used the device to try and locate the Glock pistol in undergrowth at Edinburgh's Roseburn Path in June.

Police Scotland recovered the semi-automatic weapon and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition close to the nursery building of St George's School days later.

McDermid, 25, was later arrested and admitted a charge of being involved in serious organised crime at the High Court in Edinburgh.

It is the first prosecution under Police Scotland's Operation Portaledge, launched in response to gang violence which erupted across the central belt in March.

The charge stated McDermid knew his decision to go to Roseburn Path to search for the weapon would "enable or further the commission of serious organised crime".

The Glock pistol was discovered in undergrowth by the Roseburn Path

McDermid, of Edinburgh's Magdalene area, was watched taking a taxi to Roseburn Street by police surveillance on 5 June.

Officers watched him enter and exit a nearby shop repeatedly while scanning the street before walking towards Wester Coates Terrace where he was seen to enter Roseburn Path.

The path is a disused railway line which has been converted to a popular walking and cycling route and is bound on either side by bushes and trees.

The court heard McDermid "disappeared from view" before emerging from bushes with his face covered and "holding a metal detector in his right hand".

The next time he came out of the bushes, he no longer had the metal detector and was seen speaking into a black iPhone before running about 300 metres to a bench near the exit to Ravelston Dykes.

When he was detained by officers that afternoon, they found he was in possession of gloves, a balaclava and £320 in cash.

Officers then closed the path to the public but did not find the gun until 11 June – six days after McDermid had carried out his search.

BBC Scotland News understands the operation was delayed by a badger sett being within the search area.

A magazine containing 10 rounds of 9mm bullets was also recovered along with the metal detector abandoned by McDermid.

Police Scotland closed Roseburn Path for six days after McDermid was arrested

Analysis of McDermid's phone found he had carried out Google searches on how to use a metal detector including "settings to find metal on metal detector," "how to use metal detector," and "do you need the headphone for metal detector".

Text messages between McDermid and another person included him saying he was "going up to…Gorgie to find that thing for him".

McDermid's lawyer told judge Lord Arthurson that even although his client had 19 previous convictions, he had never previously served a prison sentence.

Lord Arthurson remanded McDermid in custody.

He added: "The sentence you will receive will in all likelihood be a substantial custodial one."

Det Ch Supt Dave Ferry, of Police Scotland's specialist crime division, said the recovery of the gun followed a "long and incredibly complex" investigation.

He added: "I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious and organised crime that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice."

McDermid will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh next month.