Guilty, brutal Slovakian who murdered OAP while on bail
A SLOVAKIAN murdered a pensioner by stabbing and strangling him while on bail.
Imrich Joni, 20, was yesterday convicted of the attack on Gordon Bolam, 68, at his victim’s home in Pollokshields, Glasgow, last summer.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Joni struck Mr Bolam with a knife before throttling him with a piece of fabric.
Joni, who has previous convictions for violence and dishonesty, concealed Mr Bolam’s body in a bedroom wardrobe.
He then washed upholstery, floors and other surfaces in an attempt to destroy DNA evidence. He also got rid of the shoes and the clothing he was wearing on the day he murdered Mr Bolam.
But he was brought to justice after forensic scientists discovered Joni’s DNA on the ligature left around Mr Bolam’s throat.
A search of a national database established it belonged to Joni, who lived at various addresses in the South Side of Glasgow.
His week-long trial heard that officers found he was on bail for another matter at Glasgow Sheriff Court at the time he murdered Mr Bolam. Under his bail conditions he was not supposed to be in the city for any other reason than to attend court. Officers traced Joni to Edinburgh, where he was arrested after breaking into the Festival Theatre on Nicolson Street.
Joni pleaded guilty on Monday to breaking into the Festival Theatre. Jurors yesterday found him guilty of murdering Mr Bolam between June 29, 2016, and July 14, 2016, and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
Judge Lady Scott directed the jury to find Joni guilty of breaching a bail order. Prosecution lawyer Jane Farquharson later told the court that Joni had UK convictions for assault. He was also convicted of dishonesty in Slovakia.
Lady Scott remanded Joni in custody to obtain a report before his sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh next month.
Outside court, Detective Inspector Mark Henderson, senior investigating officer on the case, said: ‘This was a vicious and senseless murder of a vulnerable and friendly elderly gentleman who was well known in the community.
‘That community played a large role in the investigation of this murder and I thank them for their support.’
‘Vicious and senseless’