Police Scotland has launched a murder investigation after an 82-year-old woman was found dead on a Glasgow street. Elizabeth Colligan was critically injured on Cardowan Road in the Carntyne area at about 04:00 on Saturday. Police Scotland is hunting a 'dangerous' man last spotted in the area around the time Colligan's body was discovered. Officers have issued a photograph of Grant McKinnon, who is 30. On Sunday evening, officers said they were following a positive line of inquiry and work was ongoing to establish the full circumstances. Door-to-door inquiries are being carried out in the local area and a detailed review of all available CCTV footage is being carried out. There will continue to be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days. The suspect's current whereabouts remain unknown.
In a separate case, a woman has been charged over the death of an 87-year-old great-grandmother who was assaulted at Birmingham New Street railway station. Dorothy Chiles suffered a broken hip after the attack on the station's concourse at about 11am on 19 November 2024. Ms Chiles had surgery and was discharged from hospital on 2 December 2024, but she later died at home on 27 December. The full timeline of events leading to her death after the assault is still being established.
Charlie Lane, 26, has been charged with manslaughter and a racially aggravated public order offence. Lane, of Marlborough Road, Gloucester, was released on conditional bail. She is due to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court on 30 April. The specific evidence that led to the charges has not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, a man has been charged with murder after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed in southeast London. Doris Innes, 84, was attacked outside her home in Red Lion Place, in Plumstead, on Wednesday. Two other people were threatened with a knife during the incident, but were not injured. Officers, who responded to reports of a man with a knife at 8.50am, found Mrs Innes injured outside her home. She was taken to hospital by paramedics, but later died of her wounds.
Giorgio Pin, 62, of Brookhill Road, Woolwich, has since been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Saturday. The evidence that led to these charges has not been made public.
In a fourth investigation, Elena Poltorac, 71, was found with fatal injuries inside her west London flat on Bath Road, Hounslow. Detectives launched a murder inquiry after the grandmother was declared dead. Police were called shortly after 10:00hrs on Sunday, 1 March, to reports of a woman seriously injured at a residential address on Bath Road, Hounslow. The 71-year-old woman was found inside the property with significant injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Elena Poltorac was a retired cleaner responsible for the world-famous Camden Market. A crime scene remains in place at the Hounslow flat, and detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command have begun a full investigation. No arrests have been made in connection with the killing. Police were scrambled to her flat after her landlord raised the alarm at 10am on Sunday. Forensics officers have scoured her top-floor flat, where she had lived for around two years, for clues. Police have been trawling through CCTV footage from Bath Road, which is lined with cameras on shops and on the road. They are also trying to establish movements in and out of the flats which are above a catering business. Extra patrols will be carried out in the local area to provide reassurance to residents. The motive behind the attack remains unknown.
These incidents highlight a concerning pattern of violence against elderly women in different parts of the UK. While the Glasgow, Birmingham, and London stabbing cases appear to be separate, authorities have not ruled out potential connections as investigations continue. The community impact has been significant, with families grieving and neighbours expressing shock. In each case, family members are receiving support from police and local authorities.
Public safety concerns have escalated, particularly in areas where suspects remain at large or motives are unclear. Investigative challenges include gathering sufficient evidence for prosecutions, identifying suspects, and understanding the circumstances behind each attack. The increased police presence in affected areas aims to reassure residents, but underlying fears persist.
Key unanswered questions include the whereabouts of the suspect in the Glasgow murder investigation and the motive behind the attack on Elena Poltorac in Hounslow. It is also unknown whether the three separate incidents involving elderly women are connected in any way. Police are appealing for information across all investigations. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.