A gangland thug rumoured to be best pals with the man convicted of murdering Trainspotting star Bradley Welsh has been left with serious injuries after a machete attack near his Edinburgh home.
James 'Peem' Davidson is currently receiving treatment in hospital following the broad daylight assault in Bingham on Wednesday afternoon.
Underworld sources say Peem was targeted because of his involvement with Sean Orman, who is serving life after shooting gym boss Bradley to death outside his home in April 2019.
And during Orman's trial earlier this year witnesses claimed underworld figure George “Dode” Baigrie paid him £20,000 to carry it out.
Baigrie was repeatedly named as the culprit who placed the £10,000 hit on Bradley, who became "collateral damage," in a feud between Baigrie and drug kingpin Mark Richardson.
Peem, who managed to flee from an earlier machete attack this year, is also associated with Baigrie.
Sources said: "Baigrie's gang are being picked off one by one."
Last month, Jason Smith, was left in a critical condition after being set upon in Edinburgh's Fort retail park by machete-wielding assailants on motorbikes. Smith is said to be best pals with Orman.
Today a police source said: "Peem and his dad were outside the flats on Bingham Medway when Peem was attacked. His dad tried to help and was also injured.
"Peem and Orman are pals and this is a revenge attack for his involvement in the plot to kill Brad.
"The assailants were on foot. They just ran up to Davidson and attacked him."
Murder trial witness Dean White sensationally told the High Court that he alerted cops after Orman showed him a shotgun and told him he’d been paid £10,000 to kill Welsh.
Under cross examination from Ian Duguid QC, defending Orman, White said he’d met Orman and a man called ‘Peem’ - identified in court as a James Davidson - at the home of his brother Robert in March 2019.
White told Mr Duguid he’d seen a machete “stashed” under his brother’s sofa, adding that it was days later when he was shown the shotgun.
Asked by Mr Duguid when was the last time he saw Orman and ‘Peem’, White said: “In my brother’s house when they had all the money, all the drugs lying about, and ‘Peem’ was going to go to the gym, size it up, make sure nobody was there so Sean Orman could do the job he was getting paid £10,000 to do by Dode Baigrie.”
Mr Duguid asked whether ‘Peem’ was the “driver” and Orman would “fire the gun”?
White replied: “Yes.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 3.55pm on Wednesday, 21 July, we received a report of a serious assault on Bingham Medway in Edinburgh.
“Emergency services attended and two men were found to have suffered injuries. One of the men, aged 31, was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment to serious injury, the other man, aged 57, was treated by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
