Cops warned slain T2 star his life was in danger
Alert just weeks before assassin struck
TRAINSPOTTING star Bradley Welsh had been warned by police his life was in danger just weeks before he was gunned down outside his home.
The 48-year-old was shot at point-blank range by an assassin dressed as a jogger.
BRADLEY Welsh was shot at point-blank range by an assassin dressed as a jogger as he was chatting to a neighbour.
The killer pulled a sawn-off shotgun or similar weapon from under his jacket before opening fire on the T2 Trainspotting star.
The 48-year-old had been warned by police his life was in danger just weeks before he was gunned down outside his Edinburgh flat at about 8pm on Wednesday.
Dad-of-one Welsh died at the scene in Chester Street despite efforts by medics to save him.
His fiancee and eight-year-old daughter were in the flat at the time of the attack.
The former Hibs casual turned charity worker had received an “Osman” letter from Police Scotland a few weeks ago. It warned him they believed there was a serious threat to his life.
Police and underworld sources have said they believe Welsh was murdered as a warning to notorious gangster Mark Richardson, who is in prison for his part in a violent crime gang operating across Scotland.
Richardson has beenn embroiled in an ongoingg feud with a Glasgow-basedd crime gang, which we can’t’t identify for legal reasons.
It’s believed Welsh wasas targeted to send a messagege to the coke baron.
A police source said:id: “Bradley was a known friendend of Richardson’s and while he stayed away from the criminality involved, it couldld be his association with Richardson and other criminal connections has cost him his life.
“One of Richardson’s other friends was attacked in his own home with machetes just recently. It could be his friends are being picked off one by one.
“Bradley was warned by police his safety was under threat and to take his security seriously.”
An underworld source said: “Bradley wasn’t involved in anything. He was more of a trying-to-keep-people-calm type person and he was friends with Richardson and others.
“The feeling is he’s been an innocent victim in someone else’s war.”
It’s understood Welsh was
standing in the stairwell chatting to a neighbour when another neighbour walking towards them spotted a jogger running in their direction.
The “jogger” pulled a weapon from under his jacket and shot Welsh before running off.
It’s understood witnesses have told police the suspect was black.
But one eyewitness told the Record they thought the shooter may have been wearing make-up to give him an “Asian appearance” and disguise his identity.
In a candid interview published last Saturday, Welsh chillingly said his past was “always with him”.
The former boxer, who owned a successful boxing club in the capital, turned his life around after spending his teenage years involved in gangs and protection
rackets and serving a jail term. Welsh devoted his time to charity after reforming from his football hooligan days.
He first found fame appearing in Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men series in 2008 and then played a gangland boss in T2 Trainspotting in 2017.
The former British ABA lightweight boxing champion was involved with charity Helping Hands, which fights inequality, and spent much of his time encouraging youngsters to stay away from crime by becoming involved in sport.
Thousands of tributes have been paid to Welsh on social media by shocked friends, family and regulars to his Holyrood Boxing Gym.
Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh – not thought to be related – tweeted: “Bradley John Welsh, my heart is broken. Goodbye my amazing and beautiful friend. Thanks for making me a better person and helping me to see the world in a kinder and wiser way.”
Actor and TV presenter Dyer tweeted: “So sad to hear the news about Bradley Welsh. A good soul with a massive heart. A massive loss. Rest in Peace my old son.”
Cody McManus, a young lad from Edinburgh, left a tribute at the gym along with a photograph of himself with Welsh.
Cody won a Diana Award last year for starting a Christmas toy campaign to help less fortunate children get presents on Christmas Day. He managed to fill Welsh’s boxing ring with an astonishing £12,000 worth of toys, which were then distributed to more than 500 children.
His message read: “Brad, we all
will miss you. Good luck in the new life, love from Cody.”
Richardson is serving eight years and nine months at HMP Edinburgh in Saughton for his role in a nine-strong gang who were part of a vast network involving drugs, firearms and violence.
The men were described as Scotland’s “most sophisticated” crime group.
Underworld sources said Welsh’s murder and an attack on an Edinburgh businessman last month were being put down to Richardson’s feud with the gang from Glasgow.
David McMillan suffered serious head injuries in a murder bid by three masked men at his £1.7million home in the capital’s Pitcairn Grove.
He was attacked with a blade and his 22-year-old son, also David, was slashed in the hand after he tried to intervene.
The source said: “It’s no coincidence Bradley and David both knew Mark. This could just be the start of something.”
As dozens of forensics officers were searching Chester Street and neighbouring roads within the large police cordon yesterday, Police Scotland confirmed a murder investigation into the “isolated incident” was under way.
Speaking at the scene last night, Detective Superintendent Allan Burton, from the Major Investigation Team, appealed for witnesses to come forward.
He said: “We have a lady who’s lost a partner, a child who’s lost a dad, a family who have lost a son and brother.
“For their sake, and the sake of everybody else in this community, please come forward and help us find the person responsible for this horrific death.
“Mr Welsh’s partner and young daughter were in the house at the time when this took place. Thankfully they were unaware – they never heard the bang.”
He added: “They are devastated. We will support them as best we can with specially trained family liaison officers.
“Their whole world has been turned upside down by the actions of an individual last night.” In his plea for witnesses, Burton called on people who “have got any information, or have heard any rumours or speculation, or know someone who’s acting differently after the events of last night” to come forward. Last night, a JustGiving page was set up to raise £10,000 for Welsh’s family. Organiser Alexander Brown, who owns a boxing gym in the capital, said he wanted to “give back” after all the charity work Welsh had carried out in the community.