This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-15771909

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Robert Graham guilty of Leslie Cumming murder bid Robert Graham guilty of Leslie Cumming murder bid
(about 1 hour later)
A construction worker has been found guilty of trying to murder a senior Law Society official in Edinburgh.A construction worker has been found guilty of trying to murder a senior Law Society official in Edinburgh.
Leslie Cumming, 68, then deputy chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, was attacked in a lane near his home in Murrayfield, Edinburgh.Leslie Cumming, 68, then deputy chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, was attacked in a lane near his home in Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
Robert Graham, 46, denied attempting to murder the accountant, but was convicted after a trial.Robert Graham, 46, denied attempting to murder the accountant, but was convicted after a trial.
Mr Cumming was stabbed repeatedly in the attack on 23 January 2006, which left him with permanent scars.Mr Cumming was stabbed repeatedly in the attack on 23 January 2006, which left him with permanent scars.
Mr Graham was charged with repeatedly striking the accountant on the head and body with a knife or similar instrument to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life. He was remanded in custody and will appear for sentence on 15 December.
Mr Graham earlier told the High Court in Edinburgh that he did not assault Mr Cumming but intervened to to stop him getting "a bigger hiding" after he was attacked by another man. Graham was charged with repeatedly striking the accountant on the head and body with a knife or similar instrument to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
Graham earlier told the High Court in Edinburgh that he did not assault Mr Cumming but intervened to stop him getting "a bigger hiding" after he was attacked by another man.
He was found guilty by a majority verdict.
Graham, who assumed a new identity after arriving in Britain 12 years ago, confessed to a colleague that he had "done a judge in" and was paid £10,000 by a guy in a BMW to give him "a good working over".
A major part of accountant Mr Cumming's role with the solicitors' professional body was running a team of inspectors who checked the books of law firms to ensure they complied with accounts rules and he would be involved with dealing with disciplinary measures and providing information to law enforcement authorities.
During the assault Mr Cumming grasped the balaclava worn by his attacker as he made a bid to unmask him.
Further DNA evidence was recovered from the Barbour jacket he was wearing at the time.
Before two teams of surgeons began to operate on Mr Cumming a doctor took swabs from around his fingernails as he lay anaesthetised ready for theatre that would help provide crucial DNA evidence against his attacker.
Graham was extradited from Australia, where he had gone to work at a remote community, earlier this year to face justice.
The former Morningside tanning salon boss and scaffolder stood trial at the High Court in Edinburgh after denying the attempted murder of his victim under the name of Robert Graham which he has used since arriving in Britain in 1999 with an illegally obtained passport.
The court heard from Graham that he was born in Ireland as Paul Francis McGhee before emigrating to New Zealand at the age of nine. But in Britain he called himself Robert Graham.
The Solicitor General for Scotland, Lesley Thomson QC, said: "He uses the name Robert Leiper Graham in this country and Paul Francis McGhee in New Zealand. The Crown is not in a position to say he is either of these people at this stage."
She said when he left New Zealand in 1999 there was an outstanding warrant out for him.
The prosecutor said a notice had been served on him in a move to deport him from Britain.
Det Ch Insp Keith Hardie, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "We welcome today's verdict which sends out a clear message that Lothian and Borders will quite literally pursue people to the other side of the world to bring them to court.
"He is a devious character, who has lived a lie for most of his adult life, and there were major concerns he would do his best to continue to evade justice."