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A transgender butcher has admitted abducting a schoolgirl from a street in the Scottish Borders before locking her inside his bedroom and sexually abusing her. 

Andrew Miller, also known as Amy George, lured the young victim into his car in February while dressed as a woman.

The 53-year-old, who was addressed as a male by the court, appeared via video link to plead guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.

First Minister Humza Yousaf told Sky News he cannot say whether Miller will be detained in a women’s jail after being sentenced.

“This is a gut-wrenching case – heart-breaking. I cannot think of the trauma the victim and the family, in fact the community, are going through.

“I can confirm, of course, that Andrew Miller is being held in a male prison. But I cannot say which one and I cannot go into the details.”

Asked if he would remain in a male prison, Mr Yousaf replied: “This is a live case. The sentencing is still to happen, so I can’t comment any further.”

The court was told the child was walking home when the sex offender, who was a stranger, offered her a lift in his vehicle because she “looked freezing”.

Miller, who is currently transitioning, confined his victim inside his bedroom before repeatedly sexually assaulting her over the next 27 hours at his home.

Andrew Miller, also known as Amy George
Pic:Police Scotland
Image:
Miller will be sentenced later this year. Pic: Police Scotland

The prosecution described how the child only managed to escape and call 999 when Miller fell asleep.

Police described her fear as “palpable” when she was rescued from Miller’s home.

The age of the victim and location of the crimes cannot be revealed to protect the victim’s identity.

The local butcher shop he once owned was boarded up by detectives at the time.

‘Every parent’s worst nightmare’

Miller pleaded guilty to four charges – abduction, sexual assault, watching pornography in the presence of the child, and possessing 242 indecent images of children.

The judge, Lord Arthurson, told Miller his offences represented “abhorrent crimes” of the utmost “deviance and depravity” and were “the realisation of every parent’s worst nightmare”.

Miller was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 15 August.

Detective Chief Inspector Bryan Burns said: “Our thoughts today are with the victim and her family who have shown incredible courage and strength throughout this ordeal.

“This was a significant investigation and I would like to thank all those involved for their professionalism and commitment during what was an extremely challenging inquiry.

“Andrew Miller has pled guilty to serious offending and will now face the consequences of his actions.”

Trans prisoners in Scotland

Earlier this year, Scotland paused the movement of any transgender prisoner while it carried out an “urgent” review of the rules.

It followed a public outcry after Isla Bryson, a transgender double rapist, was initially imprisoned in an all-female prison before being removed to a jail with male inmates.

Bryson, a serial sex offender who attacked vulnerable women when she was known as Adam Graham, decided to transition while awaiting trial, which provoked outrage among campaigners.

Scotland’s gender reforms

The Scottish parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed in Holyrood last year, but the government in Westminster announced it was blocking the bill from Royal Assent and becoming law – the first time the power has been used since devolution nearly 25 years ago.

Critics have raised concerns predatory men could obtain a gender recognition certificate in Scotland in order to gain access to single-sex spaces and place women in jeopardy, and those spaces would have to adopt different policies.

Those in favour of the bill argue it would introduce a simpler and fairer way for trans men and women to be legally recognised as who they are.

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IT issue affects flights at Edinburgh Airport

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IT issue affects flights at Edinburgh Airport

All flights were halted at Edinburgh Airport this morning due to an IT issue affecting its air traffic control provider.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the airport later announced service had resumed.

Its post read: “Flights have now resumed following the IT issue with our air traffic provider.

“We thank passengers for their patience and understanding.”

But passengers continue to feel the effects.

A Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Edinburgh was diverted to Dublin after going into a holding pattern over the Scottish capital.

And a live arrivals board on the airport’s website showed multiple flights diverted, delayed and cancelled.

Arrivals board at Edinburgh Airport. Pic: Edinburgh Airport
Image:
Arrivals board at Edinburgh Airport. Pic: Edinburgh Airport

Morven McCall and Cody Stevenson, both 19, were due to fly easyJet from Edinburgh to Amsterdam on their first trip away together.

Morven told Sky News: “We literally just got into the airport and as soon as we walked through the door there was an announcement that it had been cancelled.

“I was ill over the summer and had to cancel two holidays already, this was our first time going away together. We are just gutted and stressed.”

Follow live: Latest updates as flights halted

Arrivals at Edinburgh Airport. File pic: PA
Image:
Arrivals at Edinburgh Airport. File pic: PA

One passenger was on a plane when they found out.

They said: “We boarded our flight and pushed back on time for an 8.45 (am) departure, then sat for a while before the pilot told us what was happening.

“He updated us a couple of times, cabin crew are brilliant at handing out water etc, and I’m surprised that everyone appears to be upbeat. But then you do wonder how long for, just been told we’re hoping to be in the air in 20 minutes.”

Another passenger told us: “The first news was from the airport announcement as we were halfway through boarding, saying the airfield was closed due to air traffic control down.

“No one knew what was going on. We’d already been delayed a bit before boarding, with no reason. I suspect problems started about 9am.”

It comes after an earlier announcement that all flights had been halted.

“No flights are currently operating from Edinburgh Airport,” the previous statement said.

“Teams are working on the issue and will resolve as soon as possible.”

There was no timeframe for recovery initially, Sky News learned.

It’s understood by PA that the issue was not linked to today’s Cloudflare outage.

Edinburgh Trams also posted on X, writing: “If you’re travelling with us to @EDI_Airport this morning, please be aware that flights are not currently operating.”

The airport urged passengers to contact their airline for the latest information on flights.

An average of 43,000 passengers per day use the airport, which is served by 37 airlines flying to 155 destinations.

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Teenager fatally hit by car on motorway had been tasered by police, watchdog says

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Teenager fatally hit by car on motorway had been tasered by police, watchdog says

The police watchdog says it is investigating after a teenager who was tasered by an officer on a motorway was fatally hit by a car.

Logan Smith, 18, was being taken to hospital in an ambulance at about 11pm on Sunday when the vehicle stopped on the hard shoulder of the M5 in Somerset.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway “due to the concerns of ambulance staff”.

Mr Smith got out of the ambulance near the junction for Weston-super-Mare and “entered the live lanes of the motorway”, the watchdog added.

Police were called and an officer arrived at the scene, with bodycam footage showing the officer discharging their Taser, causing the teenager to fall to the ground.

“Soon afterwards” Mr Smith was struck by a car travelling on the southbound carriageway, the IOPC said.

The watchdog said it was investigating the “actions and decisions taken by Avon and Somerset Police prior to the death of a teenager”.

IOPC Director Derrick Campbell said: “My thoughts and sympathies are with Logan’s family and friends and everyone affected by this shocking and tragic incident. 

“We want to reassure everyone that we will independently investigate all the circumstances surrounding this incident, including the use of a Taser.

“After being notified by the force, we sent our investigators to the police post incident procedure to begin gathering evidence.

“We have taken initial accounts from the officer and ambulance staff involved.

“We met with Logan’s family on Tuesday, to give our condolences, explain our role and to provide some further detail about our investigation, including a Taser being discharged during the incident.

“We will continue to keep them updated and they request that their privacy be respected at such a difficult time.”

The coroner has been informed and formal identification and a post-mortem have taken place.

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Former doctor charged over alleged sexual assaults on 38 patients

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Former doctor charged over alleged sexual assaults on 38 patients

A former doctor has been charged over alleged sexual assaults on 38 patients in his care.

Nathaniel Spencer, 38, has been charged with 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 counts of assault by penetration, nine counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of assault a child under 13 by penetration and one count of attempted assault by penetration.

It follows a police investigation into alleged sexual offences between 2017 and 2021.

Staffordshire Police said in a statement the charges come after a complex investigation by the Public Protection Unit into sexual offences at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, in Stoke-on-Trent, and Russells Hall Hospital, in Dudley.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre
Image:
North Staffordshire Justice Centre

Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit and Serious Violence, Organised Crime and Exploitation Unit, said: “We have decided to prosecute Nathaniel Spencer for a number of serious sexual offences allegedly carried out against patients while he was working as a doctor – including assault by penetration and sexual assault against a child.

“Our prosecutors have worked at length to support a detailed and complex investigation by Staffordshire Police, carefully reviewing the available evidence to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.”

Spencer, from Birmingham, will appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 20 January 2026.

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