Violent offender jailed for 18 years for knife murder

Garry O'Neill was murdered at a flat in Primrose Street in Leith

A violent repeat offender who murdered a vulnerable man in a knife attack in Edinburgh has been jailed for at least 18 years.

Jamie Boulton, 55, stabbed Garry O'Neill at a flat in Primrose Street in Leith in June last year.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Mr O'Neill, 69, was resident in a hospital and was out for a few hours when he was attacked.

Judge Lady Poole told Boulton, who has 45 previous offences including serious violence and knife crime, that he had "an appalling criminal record".

She said: "Nobody deserves to have their life ended in this way."

Boulton, a prisoner in Edinburgh's Saughton jail, had denied murder but was unanimously found guilty by a jury.

Testimony that his victim had somehow jumped onto the knife was dismissed as "preposterous".

Lady Poole said victim impact statements from Mr O'Neill's daughter and former partner showed that he was loved and missed.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran KC said Boulton had a history of drug addiction problems and mental health issues.

He said Boulton continued to deny murder, but acknowledged that if he had not taken the knife into the property then the death would not have happened.

Mr McSporran said his client had said to him: "It should not have gone that far."

Lady Poole ordered that Boulton should serve a minimum of 18 years in jail before being eligible for parole.

Boutlon's younger brother Nathan, 49, was jailed for 14 months for trying to cover up the crime by hiding the knife and clothes worn during the attack.

Nathan Boulton denied attempting to defeat the ends of justice but was convicted after a trial.

His lawyer David Taylor said he had substance issues but made efforts to obtain treatment, including residential help.

He said Nathan Boulton had "a problematic relationship" with his older brother and sought to distance himself from him at times.