Hitman jailed for attack on law chief

Leslie Cumming, 68, the then deputy chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, was set upon in a lane near his home in Murrayfield almost six years ago.

He was left permanently scarred on his face and back after being stabbed repeatedly by the masked attacker on January 23, 2006.

Robert Graham, 46, denied attempting to murder the accountant but was convicted of the crime after a nine-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

Graham, who was paid to carry out the attack, was extradited from Australia for the trial.

Judge John Morris QC, passing sentence in Edinburgh, told Graham: “You have been convicted by a jury of a pre-meditated and sustained murderous attack on a member of the public going about his lawful business, and you did that apparently for financial gain.

“In these circumstances I’m sure you’ll appreciate a substantial custodial sentence is appropriate.”