Missing convicted murderer caught on Edinburgh bus

A convicted murderer who went on the run from an open prison in Dundee has been found in Edinburgh.

Raymond McCourt was arrested by plain clothes officers after being removed from a Lothian Bus in the city's London Road area on Friday morning.

He was earlier spotted on Duke Street in Glasgow after being reported missing from HMP Castle Huntly on Tuesday.

McCourt, 59, was jailed in 1993 after shooting newsagent Khalid Mahmood in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire.

An eyewitness told BBC Scotland News that McCourt was "surrounded" by six officers when he was asked to step off a No. 5 bus close to the junction with Leith Walk.

It is understood he boarded the bus in the Abbeyhill area minutes earlier.

Passengers saw him being searched by plain clothes and uniformed officers before the bus was allowed to move on.

Police Scotland had warned the public not to approach McCourt.

The alarm was raised on Tuesday after he did not return to HMP Castle Huntly - Scotland's only open prison - following a period of leave.

A force spokesperson said: "Officers in Edinburgh have located convicted prisoner, Raymond McCourt. He will be returned to prison.

"Thank you to everyone who assisted us and to those members of the public who contacted us with information."

McCourt had been jailed at the age of 27 for shooting Mr Mahmood in the face at his shop in May 1993.

He also shot police officer Brian Williams, who gave chase, and local woman Moira Rooney after attempting to rob a nearby bakery. Both survived.

McCourt was released on licence in 2015, but was returned to prison after stealing valuables from his partner at the time.

He used the money to pay for a holiday to Blackpool before being tracked down by police.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that he was struggling to cope with life outside of prison and had stolen the items to have a blow-out prior to his return to jail.

He was given a further 10-month sentence for that crime and returned to prison on his life term for murder.