Suspect in Scottish actor’s murder ‘objected to identity parade because he was tanned’

‘There don’t appear to be any stand-ins of sufficiently similar complexion i.e. he quite clearly is tanned’

The trial is ongoing at the High Court in Edinburgh (AFP via Getty Images)

A man who has been accused of the murder of a Trainspotting T2 actor, has objected to an identity parade since he appeared too tanned, a court has heard.

Bradley Welsh, the 48-year-old, Trainspotting T2 actor, was shot and killed at his flat in the west of Edinburgh on 17 April 2019.

The accused, Sean Orman, 30, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh where he has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

In total there are 15 charges which include murder, attempted murder and firearms and drug offences.

On Thursday, the court heard how images taken for a video identification parade process, known as Viper, were deemed by Mr Orman to show him as too dark compared to the others who took part in the line-up.

Mr Orman’s complaints were however not accepted by PC David Cuthbert.

PC Curthbert told the court how he had rejected complaints by both the accused and the accused’s solicitor.

The 44-year-old said: “The accused went through the process and he made a comment, on memory on his complexion being more tanned than others.

“I had recorded it in my statement. I also made the solicitor aware that that comment had been made.

“The solicitor did not attend.”

It was later heard that the solicitor did in fact attend a Viper process on 6 May 2019, where he also made objections to the lineup.

Defence counsel, Ian Duguid QC, then read the legal representative’s complaint. This complaint also included concerns about media reports of a tanned suspect.

It said: “I wasn’t invited as his solicitor to engage in the Viper process on April 22 2019.

“There don’t appear to be any stand-ins of sufficiently similar complexion i.e. he quite clearly is tanned.

“There don’t appear to be any other stand-ins that are tanned.”

The suspect’s lawyer felt that this was particularly significant due to reports in the media “of a tanned suspect.” The statement went on to call the parade “unfair.”

The court was told that the officer’s response was to note the objection, but deem the stand-ins to be fair in terms of appearance.

The trial, before judge Lord Beckett, is ongoing.