THE man who murdered a German tourist and attempted to murder his wife
and daughter was yesterday given two life sentences, with a
recommendation that he spend a minimum of 20 years in prison.
James Boyce, 53, of Gallowflat Street, Rutherglen, admitted murdering
Thomas Boedeker, 53, of Stuttgart, and attempting to murder his wife
Renate, 47, daughter Julia, 20, and son Just, 15, when he appeared at
the High Court in Glasgow. Boyce also admitted robbing the women.
The court heard that the Strathclyde bus cleaner had surprised the
Boedeker family in June as they finished breakfast outside their camper
near Stranraer.
He demanded money from Mr Boedeker, but shot him before he could hand
it over. The German's daughter took his wallet from his pocket and
handed it to Boyce, but he shot her twice.
Boyce then turned his wartime revolver on Mrs Boedeker and shot her in
the abdomen.
As their son, Just, ran off, Boyce shot him through the arm. The boy
managed to reach the A77 and stop a passing motorist to raise the alarm.
Mr Ian Bonomy, QC, prosecuting, then told the court that Boyce stabbed
the mother and daughter several times with a large kitchen knife and
left them for dead.
Mrs Bodeker spent several days in a critical condition after surgery
at Glasgow's Western Infirmary. Julia was treated at Dumfries Infirmary.
Mr Bonomy said that Mr Boedeker was an architect and his wife a
voluntary social worker dealing with refugees.
The family had parked their camper in a quiet spot near Cairnryan and
had just finished breakfast when Boyce appeared carrying the gun in one
hand and the large knife in the other.
Mr Boedeker approached him and Boyce demanded money. But without
waiting for the German to reply, he shot him twice in the arm and
abdomen.
Mr Bonomy said the police launched a huge manhunt, but it was three
hours before they were able to reach the injured women.
As the police hunt intensified, a farmer reported seeing a man acting
suspiciously in his fields and Boyce was surrounded and arrested.
He was caught out by four wet Bank of England five pound notes which
were traced to the German family's bank in Stuttgart.
The gun and the knife have never been found, but the type of firearm
was identified by bullets taken from the victims. Bullets were found in
Boyce's locker at his work, but they were of a different calibre.
Until his arrest, he had worked as a cleaner at the Strathclyde Buses
depot at Parkhead, and as an odd-job man at riding stables near Glasgow.
Mr Bonomy said that the only suggestion about Boyce's presence in the
area was that he had an arrangement the following weekend to attend
Orange Order marches in Belfast, which he had attended in the past as a
member of the Apprentice Boys of Derry.
But Mr Donald Findlay, QC, defending, said there was no connection
between Boyce's crimes and Northern Ireland.
Boyce had headed to the south of Scotland to carry out a robbery.
He said he had asked Boyce one simple question: ''Did you kill the
German tourist?''
Mr Findlay said Boyce replied: ''Yes.''
Mr Findlay said that, considering Boyce's age, any life sentence would
mean he would be an old man by the time of his release.
But if a minimum recommendation was imposed then the life sentence
would become, for Boyce, a death sentence.
Despite this, Lord Cullen told Boyce: ''My recommendation, having
regard to the danger to the public, is that you should not be released
until 20 years have passed.''
At this point, a woman ran screaming from the court as Boyce, married
with a grown-up family, was taken to the cells.
The court heard that Boyce had several convictions, mainly for
dishonesty and, in 1985 at the High Court in Airdrie, had been jailed
for five years for assault and robbery.
In October 1987, he was jailed for 18 months for escaping from prison.
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