Shotgun killer James Bain caught with mobile phone in jail cell

Killer James Bain, who is serving at least 22 years for the murder of former Scottish Bantamweight boxing champion Alexander McKinnon, in the city’s Marmion Bar in 2006, has been sentenced to six months for having a mobile phone in his cell.

Twenty-eight year old Bain was 22 when he blasted 32-year old Mr McKinnon with a sawn-off shotgun in the pub in Edinburgh’s Gracemount area.

At the city’s Sheriff Court today he pleaded guilty to being in possession of a mobile phone and charging cable in HM Prison Saughton in September last year.

Sheriff Donald Corke was told prison officers heard Bain speaking in his cell and found he had a black mobile phone. He was asked if it was his and replied it was.

Appearing for Bain, solicitor advocate, David Allan, said his client was serving a lengthy sentence: “I am advised his first opportunity to apply for parole is November 2029”. Mr Allan, added that Bain used the phone to keep in touch with his partner and children. He told the Sheriff that the charge would be taken into account by the Parole Board and asked that any period of imprisonment imposed did not interfere with his client’s application for parole in 2029.

Sheriff Corke told Bain that it might seem to him that the chance of parole was far into the future, but he had to try and behave himself during that time. “The fact is that this will go on your record for the Parole Board” he said. He sentenced Bain to six months from today.