Man denies killing teenager and disposing knife at Holyrood Palace

Image source, Police Scotland

Image caption, Lewis McCartney died in hospital following the incident in February last year

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鈥檚 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.

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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 鈥渄isposed鈥 of the knife 鈥渁t the ground of Holyrood Palace鈥 鈥 the official residence of the King when he is in Scotland.

It is claimed he did this to 鈥渁void detection, arrest and prosecution鈥.

Lord Clark fixed a trial date for April 2025 in Edinburgh.

Mr Dowling and Mr Wilson remain on bail in the meantime.