Absconder feared attack at bus pick-up point

A prison absconder faked food poisoning because he feared the man he tried to murder was going to try to take revenge.

James Boyle, 24, failed to turn up for his bus back to Castle Huntly following a period of leave in Glasgow.

He later phoned the open prison to tell staff he had fallen ill.

However Perth Sheriff Court was told that Boyle believed he would be targeted at the pick-up point by his victim.

Depute fiscal John Malpass said: “At the time of the offence he was at HMP Castle Huntly as part of an eight-year sentence for attempted murder with a knife.

“The accused had been granted temporary release licence for home visits. He was given home leave from February 1 until February 8. This was subject to the condition that he attended at the pick-up point at 12.45pm on February 8.”

Boyle failed to show at the Buchanan Street pick-up point.

“At 12.50pm staff at the prison received a phone call from the accused, stating that he had a bout of food poisoning and had been unable to make it to the pick-up point. He was advised to return to Castle Huntly.”

The police eventually arrested Boyle in Govan on February 21.

Boyle’s solicitor, Kenny Clark, said his client feared the victim of his knife attack planned vengeance... and Boyle felt he would be a “sitting duck” in Buchanan Street.

“That is as far as it went – this was by no means Machiavellian skulduggery.”

Sheriff Gillian Wade added a further 18 months to Boyle’s current sentence.