Family's relief as 'limbs in the loch' killer finally loses freedom bid

Beggs was convicted of killing and dismembering supermarket worker Ben Wallace after meeting him in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.

The 18-year-old's severed limbs and torso were recovered from Loch Lomond, while his head was washed up on a beach near Troon, Ayrshire.

A full appeal against Beggs' conviction got under way last September, in which he argued that the trial which saw him convicted of the December 1999 killing was unfair and that he was a victim of a miscarriage of justice. The grounds of appeal included claims that he was denied a fair hearing because of "prejudicial" publicity before and during the high-profile case.

But yesterday, three senior judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh ruled that his appeal against conviction should be refused.

Last night, Mr Wallace's father Ian, 59, who still lives in Kilmarnock with wife Catherine, 59, said the family had been through a "difficult time" since learning of Beggs' appeal plans.

He said: "We're just glad it's all over and he's lost his appeal. It has been a very difficult time for the family but we're happy now it's finally all over. We hope he will now remain where he belongs."

Beggs, 46, who had fled abroad and had to be extradited to stand trial, was convicted in 2001 of murdering Mr Wallace. Described as a "predatory homosexual", he was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 20 years.

Although Beggs immediately lodged an intention to challenge the conviction, it took several years and a succession of court hearings to reach the full appeal, which was heard last autumn.

He submitted several grounds for claiming that he suffered a miscarriage of justice. Those included prejudicial pre-trial publicity, and alleged irregularities in the extradition process and in the warrant used by police to search his home.

He also claimed misconduct by the prosecutor at his trial, Alan Turnbull, QC, now the judge Lord Turnbull, who, it was alleged, by "melodramatic gesture" and inappropriate comment, had questioned the exercising by Beggs of his right to silence.

Issuing yesterday's 128-page judgment, Lord Eassie, sitting with Lady Paton and Lord Bannatyne, said at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh: "The court has carefully considered the arguments submitted in relation to each of the various grounds of appeal… the conclusion to which it has come is that none of the grounds is well-founded. Accordingly, the appeal must be refused."

Les Brown, district procurator-fiscal for Kilmarnock, said: "The court has concluded that Mr Beggs received a fair trial and was justly convicted of the horrific murder of Barry Wallace. I hope the decision will be of some comfort to Barry's parents and brother."

Mr Wallace had been to a night out on 4 December, 1999, with colleagues from the Tesco store where he worked, and was being given a lift home by a manageress when he insisted on getting out of the car to go to a disco. He was last seen wandering, drunk, in Kilmarnock town centre.

Beggs lived in the town, while working in a call centre in Edinburgh. He had once told a fellow regular on the city's gay scene how he liked to cruise in his car in the early hours, looking to pick up "young guys".

He and Mr Wallace were never seen together, but it was thought he had lured the teenager to his home with the promise of more drink, and then handcuffed and sexually assaulted him.

Mr Wallace was killed and Beggs cut up the body. The limbs and torso were dumped in Loch Lomond, and the head in the sea off the Ayrshire coast. It washed up on a beach near Troon.

Beggs went to the Netherlands and it took more than a year of extradition hearings and appeals before he was returned to stand trial.