Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
August 13, 2009
DEVASTATED family and friends of a young singer who came within touching distance of X Factor fame are looking for answers after he was found dead in his flat.
Jason Pauley, 29, was found at his home in King's Road, Portobello, last week.
Although police say the death was not suspicious, the cause of death will not be known for several weeks until toxicology reports come back.
Mr Pauley's family is keen to trace an unknown acquaintance who was thought to have been with the father-of-one in his flat on the night he died.
Sister Leanne Pipskyj, 32, said: "He was with some unknown character when he died but he seems to have disappeared. The autopsy came back inconclusive so his death is still a total mystery."
Mr Pauley was a well-known face on Rose Street, where he used to busk with his guitar under the name Scot Rogers. He made it through to the second round of auditions for X Factor 2008, but he almost missed his break after an altercation with his partner landed him in court, and he was remanded in custody facing charges of assault and breach of the peace.
Mr Pauley broke down in the dock when the sheriff refused bail, but partner Vikki Harkness, 31, later dropped the charges and he was set free to perform in front of Simon Cowell and his team of X Factor judges.
Miss Harkness added: "He didn't make it through. I think the nerves just got to him. It wasn't just Cowell and the judges he was performing in front of, it was a whole team of cameramen and sound people and he just cracked under the pressure.
"He was a fabulous singer, though. We met at a party about two and a half years ago and he performed for me with his guitar. He taught me a few chords, and he had the gift of the gab so I was totally taken in by his charm."
Miss Harkness will now have to bring up the couple's 10-month-old son Ashton alone.
She added: "How do you tell a ten-month-old baby that his father is dead?
"He'll probably be too young to remember him but I'm going to try to keep him alive through photographs.
"Ashton's already learning that daddy's the man in the photo. Whenever we say to him, 'Where's daddy?', he points to the picture so he'll hopefully get to know him through that.
"He had his faults and we did have a couple of fights, but he was a brilliant dad and he was well liked. He was the best."
Mr Pauley was born in Leicester in 1980, the son of Ronnie Pauley and his Edinburgh-born wife Linda.
Sister Leanne said: "Jason was very much inspired by his dad, who was also a musician and encouraged Jason to pick up the guitar.
"His dad died in tragic circumstances and Jason came back to Edinburgh and made it his home.
"He was a fantastic singer-songwriter and he finally plucked up the courage to get himself down to Rose Street and perform in front of people."
The family described Jason as "the hardest working busker in Edinburgh", and have placed a notice beside his old performing patch outside The Grog pub, on Rose Street, inviting fans and fellow buskers to his funeral at Thomas Brown Funeral Home on Monday, 17 August.
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