Hit-and-run motorist wanted for attempted murder

A MALE driver is being sought by police for attempted murder after four people were injured in a hit-and-run incident.

Police are treating a hit and run in Barrhead as attempted murder. Picture: HeMedia

The alleged attack in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire came as officers were trying to trace the drivers of two cars involved in separate hit-and-runs in Edinburgh city centre.

One of the four victims of the Barrhead incident, a 39-year-old man, remained in hospital with serious injuries yesterday after being hit by a Vauxhall car in Crossmill Avenue just after 6pm on Saturday.

The others, a 41-year-old woman, and two men, aged 48 and 29, were released from the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley after treatment.

Police said the car was driven at them following an “altercation” and officers were following a “positive line of inquiry”.

In the latest hit-and-run incident in Edinburgh, a 20-year-old man was seriously injured in St Mary’s Street, off the Royal Mile, at around 2:10am yesterday.

Police are appealing for

witnesses so they can trace the car driver involved, who failed to stop and drove off. The car is described as a silver mid-sized vehicle and the driver is said to be a white man in his 20s with short blond hair.

It follows another incident where a man was injured in a “frightening” hit-and-run nearby on Friday, 22 August. The victim, also a 20-year-old man, was struck by a silver car on South Bridge, near the Royal Mile, at around 4am.

He suffered minor injuries in the incident. The car, which police said is believed to be Peugeot, lost a wing mirror and drove off towards North Bridge.

Constable Vicky Henretty said: “This was a frightening experience for the victim, made worse by the fact the driver of the car failed to stop.

“I am trying to find any witnesses who may have seen the registration number of the car, and urge him to come forward.”

Police Scotland said there is nothing to suggest the two Edinburgh incidents were linked.

In July, a 20-year-old man was sentenced to 17 months in a young offenders institution and banned from driving for four years after admitting to a hit and run incident last September.

Jamie Simpson failed to stop after seriously injuring a female pedestrian early on a Sunday morning in Bo’ness, West Lothian. He was charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop and report the incident.

Sergeant Alistair MacLean said after Simpson was sentenced: “Police Scotland welcomes this sentence of 17 months for a young driver who drove away after causing serious injury to a pedestrian.

“This significant custodial sentence demonstrates that we will robustly pursue those who cause injury to others on our roads.

“The victim of this hit and run suffered serious injuries which will have a significant impact on her life.

“Young drivers should be particularly aware of the consequences of such behaviour, not just for themselves with the possibility of a lengthy custodial sentence, but with the very real possibility they can endanger others and cause serious injury.”