James Dunleavy charged over murder of mother Phyllis found in shallow grave

Woman was identified after investigation team released a facial reconstruction image

Phyllis Dunleavy (Police Scotland/PA)

The son of a woman whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in a nature reserve has been charged in connection with her murder.

James Dunleavy, 39, is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

Remains found on the city's Corstorphine Hill by a cyclist last month were identified today by Police Scotland as those of his mother, Phyllis Dunleavy, 66, from Dublin.

The identification followed a major appeal which spanned the globe.

Mrs Dunleavy's remains gave detectives few clues but they circulated photographs of the distinctive rings she wore and published details of her dental work in dentist trade magazines in an attempt to solve the mystery.

The investigation team received more than 30 calls from members of the public as far away as Israel after releasing a facial reconstruction image.

The picture was produced by experts at Dundee University using CT scans of the woman's skull.

A family member in Ireland saw the image and contacted police.

Police said on Friday that they had identified the body, before naming Mrs Dunleavy.

PA