Man jailed after 'terrifying' abduction of former lover

DETECTIVES today said a nurse who was abducted by her former boyfriend for three days had suffered a "traumatic ordeal" as her kidnapper was sentenced to 43 months in prison.

Mark Boyle, 42, hid behind the back seat of a car belonging to his victim and took her hostage when she returned, twice driving down to England while trying to persuade her to restart their relationship.

Boyle lunged at the 35-year-old victim as she got into the car outside the Danderhall Miners' Club in Midlothian and later bound her wrists with cable.

Detectives investigating the case said it was "good policework" by officers on patrol in Craigmillar who spotted the car and linked it to the missing persons inquiry.

An officer approached the car and, when Boyle was out of earshot, the shaking victim revealed she was being detained against her will.

Colleagues of the nurse had alerted police after she failed to turn up for work.

Detective Sergeant Keith Mackay said: "It was obvious from speaking to the victim that she suffered terribly during this very traumatic ordeal. It has clearly had an effect on her."

Father-of-three Boyle, a satellite engineer, who was of no fixed abode at the time he was detained, admitted abducting the woman between November 7 and 9 last year and assaulting her after entering her unoccupied car and concealing himself inside.

Advocate depute Leanne Cross told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday that the victim had started to drive out of the car park at the miners' club when Boyle jumped out from the back seat.

The court heard that the woman was terrified and froze before getting into a passenger seat while Boyle climbed into the driver's seat and set off.

Boyle drove to a garage and bound the woman's wrists with cable ties he had brought with him. He then drove almost all the way to London before returning to the Edinburgh area. He later drove to Newcastle and booked them into a hotel.

Ms Cross told the court: "She has never experienced the kind of fear that she went through last year. The constant threat of physical violence she felt under during the abduction was terrifying."

"But it was the fear that she would never see her family again that she will never be able to forget or get over."