Violent offender murdered vulnerable man in flat

A violent offender has been convicted of murdering a vulnerable man in a flat in Edinburgh.

Jamie Boulton stabbed Garry O'Neill with a large knife at the property on Primrose Street, Leith, on 6 June last year.

The 55-year-old, who had 43 previous convictions including five assaults, had denied murdering Mr O'Neill but was unanimously found guilty.

His brother Nathan Boulton, 49, denied trying to cover up the killing but was also unanimously convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

They were both remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh ahead of sentencing next month.

Lady Poole told Jamie Boulton, who cannot be pictured for legal reasons: "It was a cowardly attack on a vulnerable man."

The judge said victim impact statements prepared by the daughter and former partner of Mr O'Neill made it clear he was "much loved and sorely missed".

The judge said given the serious and extensive nature of his criminal record and the "appalling nature" of the murder, she would get a background report prepared on him before sentencing.

Jamie Boulton had been freed on three separate bail orders from Edinburgh Sheriff Court, made in September 2021 and September and November the following year, before he murdered Mr O'Neill.

The court heard Mr O'Neill was sitting on a couch when Boulton stabbed him with a large knife on the body.

It also heard his younger brother retrieved the knife and clothing worn by his brother from a flat in Lochend Road following the attack in a bid to defeat the ends of justice.

He then put the knife in a drain and clothes in a bin.

Det Insp Kevin Tait, of Police Scotland, said: “Our thoughts are with Mr O’Neill’s family and friends and we hope that the result in court brings them a degree of closure.

“This was a deliberate act that ended in a death and Jamie Boulton will now face the consequences of his actions that day."