Man denies killing teenager and disposing knife at Holyrood Palace
Lewis McCartney died in hospital following the incident in February last year
- Published
A man has been accused of murdering a teenager in Edinburgh and attempting to hide the murder weapon in the grounds of Holyrood Palace.
Bailey Dowling denied fleeing home to London after stabbing Lewis McCartney, 18, with a knife in the city’s Dumbiedykes on 12 February last year.
At the High Court in Glasgow the 20-year-old also faced separate charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and having a knife in a public place.
Benjamin Wilson, 20, from Burntisland, Fife, denies assaulting Mr Dowling with a bottle in the same incident.
Mr McCartney, an outdoor activities instructor, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh after being discovered in Viewcraig Street, but died a short time later.
Mr Dowling, from Thamesmead, is alleged to have “disposed” of the knife “at the ground of Holyrood Palace” – the official residence of the King when he is in Scotland.
It is claimed he did this to “avoid detection, arrest and prosecution”.
Lord Clark fixed a trial date for April 2025 in Edinburgh.
Mr Dowling and Mr Wilson remain on bail in the meantime.