Published: Wednesday, 11th June, 2008 10:30
Why was 'jail break' killer in town?
By Colin Hutton
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Bowden
A VIOLENT killer ‘on the run’ from jail was allegedly being harboured by a Clydebank man in his farm house, the Post can reveal.
John Bowden — who had been caged since 1982 for a brutal murder — was allegedly hiding out at Frank Granger’s rented cottage.
‘Fugitive’ Bowden, a prisoner at Noranside open jail in Angus, made a break for it three weeks earlier while out on a shopping trip, it is alleged.
Bowden was re-captured after a 10-hour stand-off with around 24 armed police who had surrounded Lawmuir Farm, in Hardgate on Thursday night.
Granger was also taken into custody.
Bowden, who is originally from London, was serving a life sentence — at least 25 years — after being convicted of murdering a park-keeper in the English capital.
He dismembered his victim with a machete and electric saw while he was still alive.
Residents who live near the cottage where the brutal killer was captured have been left stunned over the drama on their doorstep.
One resident, who lives nearby, told the Post: “We have been left terrified after this whole incident.
“To think that someone as dangerous as this guy was living in the area is just so scary.
“It is frightening to think there was a killer living so near.
“It is a quiet area and we never get any trouble here.”
Firearms officers and trained negotiators swooped on the farm at around 8pm on Thursday and remained there until 6am the next morning when the stand off with Bowden appears to have ended without any violence.
The property is owned by Sandy Paul, who lives at a nearby farm, and he declined to comment on the matter.
Mr Granger, 50, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday on charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, but was bailed on special conditions after making no plea or declaration.
Bowden, 51, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and also made no plea or declaration but was remanded in custody.
He is set to stand trial on August 5.
A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: “At around 10pm on Thursday a prearranged operation involving firearms officers and negotiators took place on a farm in Clydebank.
“It resulted in the arrest of two men aged fifty and fifty-one.”
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