Police Scotland issue more than 1000 'threat to life' warnings in five years

Scottish cops have issued more than 1000 "threat to life warnings" to people in Scotland over a five-year period.

Figures released by show that between 2014 to 2018 a total of 1022 individuals considered to be in danger were issued with letters or notices.

During that timeframe the highest-level "threat to life" notices - also known as - were issued to 59 people, while in the same period there were 476 'Threat to Life Disruption Notices', with 487 receiving 'Personal Safety Advice Notices' also being sent out.

Despite having different levels of risk, all are classed by police as a threat to life warning.

Robert Daniel was issued with an Osman warning about a threat to life (Spindrift)

Last year 175 warnings of either threat to life or violent attack were sent to individuals across Scotland, 10 of them being high-risk Osman warnings.

An Osman warning is issued by cops if they have knowledge that there is a real and immediate threat that the person may be killed.

Officers send a person a letter or notice that their life is in danger and that they may not have enough evidence to make an arrest.

A Threat to Life Disruption Notice is sent to inform a potential victim that a "perpetrator" is going to be involved in causing serious harm to them and it is assessed that the threat is "real" and "immediate".

At the lower level a Personal Safety Advice Warning Notice is issued where it's assessed there is credible intelligence that a person may be at risk of personal injury.

Mario Rea was issued with an Osman warning (Daily Record)

High-profile figures who have received Osman notices and Threat to Life Disruption Warnings include Steven "Bonzo" Daniel, Ross Monaghan and Robert Daniel with the warnings coming amid the Daniel and Lyons feuds in Glasgow.

Mario Rea, a business tycoon, was issued with an Osman after he was convicted of attacking a member of the Lyons family at a birthday party.

Bradley Welsh was issued with an Osman warning before he was shot dead in Edinburgh earlier this year (Daily Record)

While Bradley Welsh, a former Trainspotting actor who was shot dead in Edinburgh earlier this year, was also issued with one.

Osman warnings were introduced after a 1998 court case in which the family of a murder victim argued his human rights had been breached as police did not alert him to his future killer.

The target of the threat may be given protection and, in some cases, moved to a safe house.

Ross Monaghan was issued with an Osman warning (Daily Record)