Swinney apologises to girl at centre of Dundee knife case

First Minister John Swinney has extended an apology to a 12-year-old Dundee girl who was seen wielding a knife and axe during an incident involving a Bulgarian man later found guilty of assault. Swinney’s earlier remarks had cautioned against the spread of misinformation about the case, but following the conviction, he acknowledged that his previous statements were made based on incomplete information at the time.

The incident gained widespread attention when a video of the young girl holding the weapons went viral. Elon Musk highlighted the footage and criticized the authorities for arresting her, portraying her actions as self-defense. The man involved, Ilia Belov, 22, was recently convicted at Dundee Sheriff Court for pushing the girl and making inappropriate sexual comments toward her and her friends last year. The victim’s testimony during the trial was described by Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith as “eloquent.”

Initially, Police Scotland indicated that only the girl had been arrested in relation to the event and emphasized concerns about misinformation circulating online. However, they later admitted that their original statement did not fully reflect the details of the situation. At the Scottish Parliament, Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, criticized how the girl had been treated, calling for apologies from both the police and the First Minister for her being publicly discredited and vilified. Swinney responded with a formal apology to the girl and her family, explaining that his initial judgment was based on the information available at the time.

Despite apologizing over the handling of the case, Swinney maintained his stance on challenging Elon Musk’s involvement, asserting that Musk was not acting in good faith on the matter. The video of the girl, reportedly recorded by Belov himself, attracted commentary from various public figures, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson. During the episode, Belov’s sister, Nadjedzha Belova, 20, was also involved and pleaded guilty to assaulting a 13-year-old girl by pulling her hair to the ground and striking her. Both siblings are due for sentencing in Dundee in August

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