Beggs' catalogue of violent crime

Beggs moved to Kilmarnock during the 1990s

The darker details of William Beggs' past have been largely obscured by the macabre nature of the evidence which emerged during his trial for the murder of Kilmarnock teenager Barry Wallace.

When this is considered alongside other episodes in Beggs' life over the past 12 years, a picture emerges of a violent man with a penchant for preying on young men.

In the late 80s and early 90s Beggs spent time in prison for one violent knife attack and a murder conviction which was later quashed on appeal.

Chillingly, the murder involved an attempt to dismember the body.

Beggs' had a previous murder conviction quashed

William Frederick Ian Beggs, 38, is originally from Moira, County Down, Northern Ireland.

The first indications of his violent disposition emerged in 1987 he was convicted of murdering Barry Oldham.

During the trial, the court was told that Beggs picked up the 28-year-old student in a Newcastle nightclub.

He was then said to have killed Mr Oldham in his flat after having sex.

In circumstances that would later be echoed in the tragic murder of Barry Wallace, Beggs was said to have tried to cut off Mr Oldham's head and legs before dumping his body on the North Yorkshire Moors.

Beggs was given a life sentence for the murder but he served less than two years.

In 1989 his conviction was quashed after appeal judges criticised evidence led by the prosecution.

Barry Wallace was killed and dismembered

But he was back in prison two years later after being convicted of slashing a gay man at his flat.

Beggs was released early from his six-year sentence in 1994 for good behaviour and moved to Scotland some time later.

He worked as a computer consultant while studying for a PhD at Paisley University and undertook some tutoring work.

It was during this time that Beggs' appetite for violence surfaced again.

Several men told police that they suffered terrifying ordeals during encounters with Beggs' during the late 90s but he managed to avoid another conviction.

Beggs' catalogue of violent sex-related crime finally came to an end on 12 October 2001 when he was convicted of murdering Barry Wallace.

The life sentence handed down by Lord Osborne means that he is unlikely to be free again unless any future appeals overturn the conviction.