Son of reformed gangland killer stabbed to death

The son of the reformed gangland killer Jimmy Boyle has been stabbed to death, police in Glasgow disclosed yesterday, writes David Taylor.

James Boyle, 27, was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital after being found at a tenement block in the Oatlands area of the city at about 9.20pm on Saturday.

His father was a gangland murderer who turned sculptor, writer, and campaigner for penal reform after being transferred to the Barlinnie jail special unit which dealt with Scotland's most violent men by using a therapeutic regime. He was released in 1982 and has become a Glasgow folk hero.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob House, of Strathclyde police, said a post-mortem showed Mr Boyle died from stab wounds. Police said that it was 'too early' to speculate on the motive. Nor would they comment on suggestions that people had complained of drug-dealing in the area.

Mr Boyle senior began working with drug abusers after his son became a heroin addict at the age of 17. In 1988, his son was jailed for three years for robbery.