HeadLine: BID TO KILL GAY RIPPER BEGGS IS FOILED BY PRISON GUARDS

The Mirror, 15/10/2001, p14
by SHAUN MILNE

PRISON officers foiled an attempt to kill gay ripper William Beggsd.
Fellow cons – sickened by the murder of teenager Barry Wallace –
planned to “carve him up” during an ambush in Saughton Prison in
Scotland.
But a spot search of the wing uncovered a makeshift knife which was to
be used to execute the evil killer.
Last night one source told The Mirror: “Beggs is a dead man. There are
a number of people – both inside and out – who have made it very clear
Beggs is not to leave jail alive.”
It is understood the weapon was found just hours after Beggs, from
Portadown, Co Armagh, was taken back to the Edinburgh jail after he was
sentenced to 20 years behind bars on Friday afternoon.
Beggs killed 18-year-old Barry Wallace in what the judge called an
“appalling” murder.
The teenager was beaten, handcuffed and sexually assaulted and killed.
He then cut up the body, dumping his limbs in Loch Lomond and throwing
his head off a ferry bound for Northern Ireland.
A prison source said: “Saughton is a big place so it wouldn’t have been
difficult to sneak the knife in – but anyone caught with something like
that faces a hefty punishment.
“The fact they were prepared to take that risk shows you how badly
people want Beggs.
“There is money on his head – and it will be collected.”
No one has yet been apprehended in connection with the find, but it is
understood prison chiefs are investigating.

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