Roller cousin jailed for murdering relative

THE cousin of former Bay City Roller Pat McGlynn has been jailed in Australia for murdering his brother-in-law.

Anthony Carl Prestidge, 51, from Edinburgh, was yesterday sentenced to life with a minimum 17 years for the brutal killing of Andy Ball in September 2002.

Supreme Court Justice Lindy Jenkins said Prestidge had “ferociously” attacked Mr Ball during a bust-up before going on the run for almost a decade.He used a weapon to strike him head twice then covered his body with bedding before fleeing from Mr Ball’s Perth home to Bali.

Prestidge had claimed he was acting in self-defence when Mr Ball came at him with a knife. But he was found guilty of murdering Mr Ball after a Supreme Court jury trial earlier this year.

The jury was told that days before, Prestidge had helped his sister, Angela Ball, move out because of her husband’s physical and emotional abuse.

Ms Ball, who had two daughters with the victim, said her husband drank alcohol and used cannabis every day.

Mr McGlynn told the News previously that Prestidge lived with his family for several years as a youth at their home in The Jewel, and worked as a roadie for the Rollers in the 1970s.