Limbs in the Loch killer in bid for freedom after being denied parole
Mark Lindsay KC told Judge Lady Drummond on Monday that parole board officials acted lawfully in a decision made by the organisation in February 2024.
The Court of Session heard how staff refused to release Beggs on license from the life sentence given to him in October 2001 for murdering Barry Wallace.
Lawyers for Beggs claim that the parole board's decision to deny their client's release from custody was incorrect – this has prompted them to raise a judicial review at Scotland's highest civil court.
His legal team wants Lady Drummond to quash the February 2024 decision. They also want the parole board to convene a tribunal of new members to reconsider Beggs's bid for freedom.
However, on Monday, Mr Lindsay said the decision made by the parole board was lawful.
He told Lady Drummond: 'There's no merit in the grounds of appeal advanced on behalf of the petitioner.
'I invite your lady to dismiss the petition.'
Beggs was jailed for life in 2001 after murdering and dismembering 18-year-old Mr Wallace after luring him back to his flat in Kilmarnock, in Ayrshire. He disposed of the limbs and torso in Loch Lomond and the head at sea.
He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years in jail before he could seek to apply for release on parole, but he completed that period in December 2019.
Legal papers lodged in the case state that the petitioner is now 'five years over his punishment part.'
A hearing in the action was due to begin at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in the absence of Beggs earlier this year. However, Lady Drummond agreed to discharge it so the murderer could either be brought into court or observe proceedings virtually via a video conferencing app called Webex.
On that occasion, Lady Drummond was told that Beggs, 62, wanted to be able to respond to what was said in the judicial review as he was present at the Parole Board hearing.
The court heard that Beggs had made a complaint to the prison authorities over a refusal to bring him to court and has had no response.
Beggs's lawyer Simon Crabb said: 'He wishes to be able to fully participate in the hearing by attending to hear the arguments, to observe any judicial interventions, and to be able to see justice is done in his case.'
Mr Crabb said Beggs felt he had been treated unfairly and added: 'He thinks it is important he should be present either in person or by Webex. This is a case that obviously involves his fundamental right to liberty.'
On Thursday, Beggs observed proceedings from prison. He could be seen wearing a navy suit, a light blue shirt, and a royal blue tie. He sat beside a prison officer and had what appeared to be a number of legal files beside him.
Lawyers acting for Beggs claim parole board officials made their decision partly on the basis of an 'irrelevant factor'.
They claim that parole board officials considered his conviction for murdering student Gary Oldham, 28, in England in 1987. However, Beggs successfully appealed the conviction.
Beggs's legal team claims that in their February 2024 decision, parole board officials considered the death of Mr Oldham in their deliberations. They believe the parole board had no lawful basis to do this.
On Monday, Mr Lindsay said this wasn't the case and considered evidence that related to the level of risk posed by Beggs to the public.
He added: 'They looked at the lack of insight and they looked at the lack of insight, focused work on the part of the petitioner.
'They looked at the lack of a supportive network for the petitioner.
'They were entitled to conclude that the level of risk posed by the petitioner cannot be, at this time, managed within the community.'
Mr Lindsay also told the hearing that Beggs will have another chance to apply for parole at another hearing in August 2025.
Lady Drummond told the lawyers that she'd issue her findings at some time in the near future.
She added: 'I will take this to Avizandum.'
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Wales Online
Airport armed police officer denies 'red mist' came over him when he kicked suspect in the head
Airport armed police officer denies 'red mist' came over him when he kicked suspect in the head PC Zachary Marsden told a court he suffered blows to the head and wanted to "stun" suspect Lawyer Aamer Anwar, centre, arrives at an earlier hearing with Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, left, and Muhammed Amaad, right (Image: Peter Powell/PA Wire ) A police officer has denied he kicked a prone suspect in the head because he was 'furious'. PC Zachary Marsden told a court he was worried that his Glock semi-automatic weapon would be snatched during an alleged assault at Manchester Airport. PC claimed he was 'strangled' and suffered 10 to 15 blows to his head when he confronted two brothers at the Terminal 2 arrivals pay station car park on July 23 2024. Under cross examination at Liverpool Crown Court the officer defended his actions. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, both of Tarnside Close in Rochdale, deny assaulting armed police officers. They claim they acted in self-defence. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was captured throwing 10 punches, two 'elbow strikes' and one kick. Muhammad Amaad, was seen throwing six punches in CCTV footage played to the jury, the Manchester Evening News reports. Jurors were also shown footage of armed police officer PC Zachary Marsden, kicking Mr Amaaz in the face while he was on the ground after being Tasered. The video also appears to show the officerthen aim a stamp at his head. Under cross examination by Mr Amaaz's KC Imran Khan on July 8 PC Marsden agreed he kicked the suspect after he had been Tasered and was on the floort. The KC said Mr Amaaz was on the ground and he asked the constable whether he was aware he was speaking to his mother. "Not speaking to his mother. A person, yes," he replied. Article continues below PC Marsden said he 'could not comment' on what the woman was doing to Mr Amaaz. "It looks like she's got her hands on his back," he said. The KC suggested the person appeared to be caring for Mr Amaaz. The officer said he had only 'three seconds' to make a decision and what he saw was the woman start to pull Mr Amaaz away from him. "I wasn't looking at the woman. I was looking at the threat," he said. Asked by Mr Khan whether he was 'making things up as you go along', PC Marsden said: "I believe she's pulling him away from me." The officer added: "I have not watched this footage. I choose not to because of the distress it brings me." PC Marsden said at the time he was considering his options which included using pepper spray, his baton or whether to wait and see whether the suspect would 'attack me again'. The officer said he also had the option of using his firearm which he would only produce if someone was 'so dangerous' but this could 'possibly be fatal'. PC Marsden said he did not want Mr Amaaz to 'come to such harm'. He recalled shouting at Mr Amaaz 'multiple times'. The PC told the KC that he also had the option of firing his Taser again, but that would have meant disconnecting the barbs he had already fired into Mr Amaad and then reloading the stun gun. "These are seconds I did not have unfortunately," he told the court, "this incident was fast and quick and not at a quarter speed. I had to act fast." The PC said he opted to kick Mr Amaaz to 'disorient' and to 'stun' him as all his other options were 'exhausted' including 'doing nothing'. "Are you telling the jury you thought of all those options within that second? When the safest option was to kick somebody in the head?" asked Mr Khan. "Yes," answered the officer. "It wasn't the safest option was it?" said the KC and the officer replied: "That's your opinion, not mine." The PC told the KC he agreed a kick to the head could cause brain damage. When he said it could also kill someone, the PC said: "I would argue so would a gunshot." "That's the safest option for you is it? Is that right?" asked the KC. "Yes," said the witness. "In the head?," said the KC and PC Marsden said 'yes'. Mr Khan told the officer he could have made a kick to the stomach, but PC Marsden said Mr Amaaz was lying face down. When it was suggested other parts of the body were available to kick, the officer said that was not an 'option'. Mr Khan suggested the officer was 'furious' at being attacked but the PC replied that these were 'your words, not mine'. "You grabbed him round the neck because the red mist had fallen from your eyes," said Mr Khan. "No," replied the officer. The KC said the kick had been 'pretty harsh' but the PC said 'no it wasn't'. He said it was just hard enough to 'achieve the desired effect' and 'stun' the Mr Amaaz. Mr Khan described it as 'gratuitous' and a 'loss of control'. "No it wasn't," the officer responded. Article continues below Mr Amaaz denies assaulting a member of the public, Abdulkareem Hamzah Abbas Ismaeil, by beating him on July 23, 2024, at Manchester Airport. He also denies a second charge that he assaulted PC Marsden causing actual bodily harm. The defendant also denies a third charge alleging he assaulted PC Lydia Ward causing actual bodily harm. He also denies a fourth charge against him alleging he assaulted, by beating, an emergency worker, PC Ellie Cook. Co-defendant Amaad, his brother, denies a single charge, namely that he also assaulted PC Marsden.
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
'50-year-old who thought he was 20′ – Bernie Ecclestone blasts ‘idiot' Christian Horner after he was sacked by Red Bull
BERNIE ECCLESTONE has labelled Christian Horner 'an idiot' in the wake of his Red Bull sacking earlier this week. The ex-Red Bull team principal seemed a permanent fixture in F1 until allegations of him sending suggestive WhatsApp messages to a female employee emerged last year. 2 2 Horner, 51, has consistently denied the claims of inappropriate and controlling behaviour made against him. In February 2024, Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing after multiple probes. He spent a tumultuous three weeks fighting for his career after a female colleague alleged controlling and coercive behaviour by the boss. The probe later investigated him allegedly sending improper messages to a woman. A KC cleared Horner for a second time in August after the unnamed accuser launched an appeal following the internal probe. Now F1 legend Bernie Ecclestone - a longtime friend of Horner - has criticised him for his conduct regarding the scandal. He told the Telegraph: "This other business that he got involved with 18 months ago, he was just an idiot. "He was a 50-year-old who thought he was 20, thought he was one of the boys." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Ecclestone and Horner's friendship extends to beyond the latter's arrival at Red Bull, with the pair reportedly attending each others weddings. Ex-Formula One boss Ecclestone was not surprised with the sacking, suggesting that unease surrounding Horner's prominence within the Red Bull brand could have played a role. He said: "It would probably have been better if they had said 'Come in Christian, sit down.' "But the bottom line is there are people who thought he was getting away with things, that he was acting as if it was not the Red Bull ring, but the Christian Horner ring." Ecclestone suggests the timing of the decision to move on from Horner coinciding with Red Bull's struggles to compete this season is not a coincidence. He continued: "He got away with so many things. "All the time you are delivering , people close their eyes - but when you stop delivering, people start looking. "One or two begin thinking 'Well I could do a better job.'" Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is third in the standings while Red Bull trail McLaren by a whopping 288 points in the Constructors standings at the half way stage of the season. The British racing executive ran the Red Bull F1 team for 20 years since his appointment in 2005, in which time he has become one of the most decorated team bosses of all time. Horner's tenure oversaw six constructors titles and EIGHT drivers' championships across dominant spells with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Horner will be succeeded in his role by French engineer Laurent Mekies.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Cannibal killer horror letter to victim's partner from his prison cell
David Harker, who killed mother-of-four Julie Paterson in 1998 and then ate part of her body with cheese and pasta, has had his latest plea for freedom rejected A cannibal killer, serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of a mother-of-four from Darlington, continues to have his appeals for freedom rejected. David Harker, who refuses to reveal to authorities where he disposed of Julie Paterson's body, has had his release turned down multiple times under Helen's Law, which was brought in during 2021. The legislation was created to make parole harder for murderers who won't reveal where their victim's remains are located. Helen's Law was introduced following Marie McCourt's relentless campaigning after her daughter Helen's death, resulting in amendments to the Parole Board's guidelines for judges handling manslaughter and murder cases where the victim's body remains missing. Harker is serving a minimum sentence of 14 years after admitting manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility when 32 year old Julie vanished from her Darlington home in 1998, according to The Mirror, reports the Express. The killer bragged about eating Julie's body with cheese and pasta. Whilst her torso was discovered in a bag found in a Darlington garden, Harker has declined to reveal what he did with the remaining body parts for more than two decades. Julie was a vulnerable individual struggling with depression when she first encountered Harker, just five weeks before her death. Harker enticed Julie back to his flat in the town's Harewood Grove after the pair had been drinking in a local park. He subsequently confessed he attacked her because he was "bored," strangling Julie to death. Harker has remained behind bars for an additional 12 years beyond his initial 14-year minimum sentence due to regular Parole Board reviews denying his release. Sporting tattoos of the words "sub-human" and "disorder" on his head, Harker chillingly told psychiatrists: "People like me don't come from those films, them films come from people like me." A psychiatrist's report presented in court labelled Harker as "evil" and beyond the help of hospital treatment. The murderer has consistently refused to disclose the whereabouts of Julie Paterson's head, legs, and arms. Instead, he penned a cruel letter to Miss Paterson's former partner and father of her two children, Freddie Newman, from his cell. In this letter, Harker mocked Freddie, who had desperately implored him to reveal the location of the rest of Miss Paterson's remains. Harker wrote: "It's always good to know that people are thinking of me, especially those who suffer because of my actions. "You are correct when you speak of decency, I have none. I have no inhibitions, remorse or regret, and therefore care not one bit if your wife has a full body burial or not. "I hope you are happy in the knowledge that you don't suffer alone in your loss. Your wife was not the first or the last person I killed."
