- Police believe discovery of blood could mean there is another victim
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Police believe a blood-stained razor blade found in the home of one of Scotland’s most notorious killers could sensationally prove he had struck before.
In a case that shocked the nation, William Beggs raped and killed a young man in 1999 – before dismembering his victim and scattering his body parts in Loch Lomond and off the Ayrshire coast.
Now the Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal that a razor discovered in the killer’s home in the aftermath of the horrific murder could – more than 24 years later – still yield clues to other crimes.
Detectives trying to link Beggs to another, earlier, murder recently analysed blood found on the blade.
Officers were shocked to find that the DNA did not match the killer, his known victim or even the suspected victim.
William Beggs was jailed for life in 2001
Beggs was found guilty of stabbing 28-year-old Barry Oldham (left) to death in Yorkshire in 1987 and was later cleared. Twelve years later Beggs raped and murdered 18-year-old Barry Wallace (right)
Now police believe the blood could provide a link to an as-yet-unknown person who may have been attacked by the killer.
A police source explained: ‘The blood on the razor suggests there could be another victim.’
The development could shine new light on one of the most gruesome cases in British legal history.
Beggs was found guilty of stabbing Barry Oldham, 28, to death in Yorkshire in 1987 and leaving his mutilated body on the moors. Although jailed, his conviction was overturned on a technicality 18 months into his life sentence and he was freed.
Having moved to Scotland, Beggs – who was working in a call centre in Edinburgh – lured 18-year-old Barry Wallace from Kilmarnock to his home as the teen was leaving a Christmas party, then raped and murdered him. He used a saw and kitchen knife to hack his body into eight pieces.
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Mr Wallace’s limbs were discovered in Loch Lomond, tied in bin bags, and his head washed up on Barassie Beach in Ayrshire.
After a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2001, Beggs was sentenced to life in prison and remains behind bars.
North Yorkshire Police recently attempted to find fresh evidence that might link Beggs to the murder of Mr Oldham, with a view to possibly bringing the case back to court.
Police Scotland handed over a blood-stained razor they found in Beggs’ home – anticipating that DNA tests would link it to the Yorkshire case.
Divers recovered Mr Wallace’s limbs from Loch Lomond
However the blood was not a match for Beggs, Mr Wallace or Mr Oldham. A source at North Yorkshire Police said: ‘The murder of Barry Oldham is unusual in that Beggs was convicted and there seemed no doubt about his guilt.
‘Even with the changes to the double-jeopardy law now well-established, it would take significant fresh evidence to give us any chance of charging Beggs afresh.
‘We hoped the blood on the razor might provide that calibre of evidence and we were happy to assist Police Scotland in that enquiry.
‘Mr Oldham’s dad, Albert, was still alive at that time and we were able to obtain his DNA for comparison, but there was no match.
‘This suggests there might be another victim of a bloody assault by Beggs out there. If there’s little hope of justice for Barry Oldham, perhaps the razor offers hope for another.’
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: ‘Given what is known about this killer and his horrific record, it seems a strong possibility this new material could be significant. I’m confident police officers across the UK will make every possible effort to establish whether this blood can be connected to an unknown victim.’
Adam Harland, cold case review manager at North Yorkshire Police, said: ‘The murder of Barry Oldham remains unresolved and any new information will always be investigated thoroughly. The explanation given by Beggs as to the circumstances of Barry’s death was not believed by the jury, who convicted him of murder.’
Police Scotland declined to comment on the razor but did confirm there are no current enquiries in relation to Beggs.
