Man charged over fires at Methodist Church and Sikh temple in Edinburgh

Police and fire crews were called to the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Sheriff Brae at around 5am on Tuesday. No-one was injured. The blaze was condemned by the Church of Scotland.

A 49 year old man was arrested on Wednesday and Police Scotland said he has now been charged over the incident.

He has also been charged in connection with a second fire at The City of Edinburgh Methodist Church in Junction Place which also happened in the early hours of the same day.

The man is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

The gurdwara, situated in a former church, is the only Sikh centre in the Scottish capital, serving a community of more than 500 people.

**UPDATE**

A 49-year-old man has now been charged in connection with fires at the Sikh Temple in Sheriff Brae and Methodist Church in Junction Place, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday 28 August. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday 30 August.

— Edinburgh Police (@EdinburghPolice) August 29, 2018

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A man has now been charged following the suspicious fire at the Sikh Temple in Sheriff Brae, Edinburgh.

“The 49-year-old is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday 30th August, where he will also appear in relation to a second fire at the Methodist Church in Junction Place which also happened in the early hours of Tuesday 28th August.”

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A man has been charged over fires at a Methodist church and at a Sikh temple in Edinburgh.