9am Briefing: Hunt for notorious sex offender after theft claims

POLICE are hunting for a notorious sex offender from East Lothian in relation to a series of alleged thefts in England, it was reported today.

Rapist John Cronin, who was living in Hartlepool after being released from prison in March, fled his latest flat and is being sought by officers.

They want to question him in relation to the alleged theft of a pensioner's wallet containing 150 and bank cards, it was reported today.

• EDINBURGH'S former Tory group leader Iain Whyte is to stand for election as an MSP - in Glasgow.

He has been selected to fight the new Maryhill and Springburn seat after the previous candidate, millionaire Ivor Tiefenbrun, was forced to quit after saying Scots were "thick" for disliking Margaret Thatcher.

Earlier this year Cllr Whyte, who is convener of Lothian & Borders police board, failed in a bid to become Conservative candidate for Edinburgh Central and then also lost the selection contest for Edinburgh North & Leith, the seat which includes his Inverleith council ward.

• TAXPAYERS will have to pay thousands of pounds in repair bills after expensive pop-up barriers at the Scottish Parliament wrecked an MSP's car.

Tory education spokesman Liz Smith's Ford Focus was left with two demolished front panels, a broken gearbox and damaged brakes after the incident at the entrance to Holyrood's underground car park.

Ms Smith, a former teacher at George Watson's College, said: "I arrived at the parliament and the ramp that lets cars drive into the car park was down, but there was a red light so I contacted security and they said I could drive in. However the barrier came up just as I was crossing it, taking the front two panels of my car off.

"The car will be assessed, but I think it will cost thousands of pounds to fix."

• THE Scottish Government's chief planner was at the centre of a row today after he described Sir David Murray's proposed 1 billion "Edinburgh Garden District" in the Capital's green belt as "an exciting development".

Jim Mackinnon helped launch a 400,000 week-long consultation paid for by Murray Estates on the scheme which would include a 25,000-seater sports stadium earmarked to be shared by Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby, as well as 3,500 homes and a new visitor attraction on a 600-acre site between Edinburgh Park and the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters.

Mr Mackinnon insisted he was not endorsing the project but praised Sir David's "passion and sincerity".

• A GROWING number of child trafficking cases are coming to light, a refugee charity warned today.

But it remains a "hidden problem", according to the Scottish Refugee Council, which is hoping the success of the play Roadkill will help raise awareness of the issue.

Forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude are the main reasons behind the trade in trafficked children, the group said.