A FORMER police officer from Northern Ireland has been jailed for 11 years after trying to kill his ex-partner and her mother in Jedburgh, Scotland.
William McBurnie, 57, drove his vehicle through the window of a funeral directors where his ex-partner worked.
The woman and her mother had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the car, which was driven at speed towards the business on December 7, 2022.
McBurnie, who is originally from Co. Fermanagh, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder on the first day of his trial at the High Court in Livingston on September 9, 2024.
At the same court on Thursday, he was given a 13-year extended sentence with 11 years in custody.
"William McBurnie put the lives of others in danger with his reckless actions and he is now facing the consequences," said Detective Inspector Debbie Duncan of Police Scotland.
'He's coming through the window'
According to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), McBurnie had woken up at 6am on the day of the collision and drank a third of a litre bottle of whisky.
He then drove into the centre of Jedburgh — a town in the Scottish Borders around 45 miles south of Edinburgh — to complete an errand.
His former partner later saw him sitting at the junction opposite her funeral director business and expressed concern to her mother, who suggested she lock the door.
McBurnie, who previously worked as a police officer in Belfast before relocating to Scotland, drove away but turned around using the one-way system.
He then accelerated at speed over a give way junction before mounting the pavement, crashing through two large flower planters and into the glass-fronted office.
As his vehicle approached, his former partner was standing beside her desk while her mother had gone towards the office door, which had frosted glass.
McBurnie's former partner yelled at her mother: "He's coming, he's coming, he's coming through the window."
She then turned away from the oncoming vehicle and pinned herself against the wall of the office.
The car narrowly missed both women, who were both injured as a result, with one being hit by debris.
Meanwhile, the office desk was hit with such force that it was embedded in the back wall.
Threatening messages
McBurnie, who sustained a minor friction burn on his wrist, was heard to then say: "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."
Whilst waiting for officers to attend, he stated that he had been struggling to come to terms with the end of the relationship and had been drinking heavily.
The court heard how he had sent regular, unwanted messages to his former partner using a variety of platforms in the months leading up to the attempted murder.
He would tell her how much he missed her and that he wanted to reconcile the relationship.
When intoxicated, the messages would become unpleasant, angry, abusive and were, on occasions, threatening.
Sometimes, these were deleted with an apology sent, only for them to begin again.
Between June and December 2022, McBurnie sent his former partner hundreds of communications.
'Lasting trauma'
As well as his custodial sentence, McBurnie was issued with non-harassment orders, preventing him from contacting or attempting to contact the two women for an indefinite period.
He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of 16-and-a-half years.
"His victims played a vital role in achieving this outcome and I would like to thank them for their support and hope that they can now begin to move on from this experience," said DI Duncan.
"Violence and endangering the lives of others will not be tolerated and we will rigorously pursue those responsible of such crimes and ensure they are brought to justice."
Meanwhile, Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the COPFS, said: "This was an extremely reckless act which could have had devastating consequences had it not been for the swift actions of William McBurnie's former partner.
"Our thoughts and best wishes remain with both women as they continue to deal with the lasting trauma caused by this individual.
"McBurnie is a domestic abuser who will now face the consequences of his actions. I hope this conviction reaffirms our commitment to prosecuting crimes of this nature."
