Lochend murder: Yobs robbed dying victim Simon

THE teenage thugs being hunted for the murder of a takeaway delivery driver rifled through his pockets to steal his car keys and mobile phone as their victim lay dying on the ground, it emerged today.

Simon San, 40, was felled by a single punch from one of the gang and suffered brain injuries after cracking his head on the pavement just yards from where he worked in Lochend.

The apparently random attack has sent shockwaves throughout the city but local residents said the area had been "like a bomb ready to explode" for the last six months.

In the last three weeks alone, a woman who was nine months pregnant was hit in the head with a full can of Coke after being verbally abused, while a middle-aged man was badly beaten by three teenagers in an unprovoked assault.

It also emerged today that Mr San had himself been the victim of a previous attack which led to him being hospitalised earlier this year.

And his 20-year-old nephew was assaulted by five youths outside the family's Yong Hua Garden takeaway at Christmas. The shop's front window was smashed by teens during the same period.

Police said they had received reports of "minor incidents" involving the takeaway, but did not believe they were linked to the attack on Mr San.

The victim's older brother, Vinh, 45, of Barnton, said: "It's still sinking in. How anyone could do this is just unbelievable. Everyone in the family is devastated. This is unbearable."

An eyewitness told the Evening News the attackers had demanded Mr San hand over his car keys in an apparent bid to steal his silver Smart car after he returned from a delivery.

The youths had rocked Mr San's car and tried to open the door after he pulled up opposite the Loch Inn pub next door.

After Mr San got out, one male youth, believed to be aged 16 or 17, threw a punch which knocked him to the ground, where he struck his head.

The witness said at least one of the youths entered the car to check its contents after taking the keys from Mr San, but they are said to have fled with his possessions after noticing how badly he was injured.

The family of Mr San, described as a "very quiet person who was always friendly", spent the night at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary as doctors fought to save his life, but he died at around 8.30am yesterday.

His nephew, Jake San, 21, said: "Simon was hit before by youths who were attacking his mum. They were opening the door and chucking snowballs and one of them hit his mother. He went outside to hit one of them, but there were too many and he ended up in hospital with some bruises.

"Most of the time you just ignored them (the youths], but sometimes they took it a bit far. They thought it was fine to pick on him just because he was really quiet. It's just mindless."

Detectives were today hunting "three or four" youths believed to be directly involved in the attack.

Residents described the incident as a "tragedy waiting to happen".

Peter Swanson, owner of the Loch Inn, said: "I got a phone call from one of my staff who had phoned an ambulance. When I arrived, Simon was on a stretcher with a neck brace on. The paramedics were working on him but it looked really bad. There was blood everywhere.

He added: "A lot of the kids hang about in Lochend Park across the street. It's not unusual to see four or five groups of a dozen or so on a Saturday night drinking cider and strong beer.

"About three weeks ago, a woman who was pregnant was walking near here and one of a group of kids shouted 'fat cow'. She told them to be quiet and one of them started throwing full cans of Coke at her.

"The kids are out of control."

Mr Swanson said the pub's exterior CCTV cameras missed the attack but officers took away footage which may have captured the suspects beforehand.

Gordon Woolard, 63, from Lochend Park, was drinking in the Loch Inn at the time of the incident. He said: "A friend of mine was walking down Sleigh Drive after being at the Loch Inn three weeks ago. He was set on by three young folk who battered him. They just did it because they felt like it."

Another resident said: "There's a group of young boys who walk around just punching random strangers. They think it's hilarious and go off and brag to their mates.

"They believe they're untouchable because they're too young for the courts."

A Loch Inn regular said: "It's been like a bomb ready to explode for the last six months. The kids just seemed to be getting worse and people have said it would end in a murder."

In April, a schoolboy football match between Lochend Youth FC and Duddingston's Cavalry Park was abandoned after clashes broke out on the touchlines.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Blair said: "A group of between six and 12 youths aged between 15 and 17 were hanging around outside this area, and we believe three or four of them were involved in this attack. We are confident that we will trace those involved."

DCI Blair said Mr San's car had been taken away to undergo forensic examination, while a post-mortem was expected to be carried out today. He said officers did not believe the attack was racially motivated.

He added: "This area does seem to have a bit of a problem but it is no worse than in any other part of Edinburgh, so we did not have any reason to think an outcome like this could come about."

The main suspect is 5ft 10in tall, with short black hair, a slim face and was wearing a black fleece top. Another of the group involved is male, 5ft 1in to 5ft 2in tall, with short blond hair, and was wearing grey jogging pants and a white polo shirt.