Murderer given consecutive sentence after knife attack on HMYOI Polmont inmate

Imrich Joni assaulted an inmate in HMYOI Polmont with a knife

Slovakian Imrich Joni (21), who stabbed and strangled Gordon Bolam (68) in Pollokshields in 2016, burst out of his cell and lunged at his victim with a sharpened plastic blade he had tucked into his sock.

He appeared from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, having admitted repeatedly striking Darren McAllister with the knife on February 22, 2018, as well as possessing the blade without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

The court heard Joni, whose address was given as HMP Low Moss, Bishopbriggs, waited until his cell door had been opened by prison officers collecting dinner plates. He then made a beeline for his fellow inmate, whom he knew, as he used the communal telephone.

Procurator fiscal depute Susan Campbell: “As the accused ran towards him the officer saw him pulling something out his sock. The witness shouted to the other officer and both ran after the accused who had started to assault Mr McAllister and was repeatedly striking him on the body with an implement.”

Joni’s defence solicitor said the Slovakian had complex mental health issues and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by events from his childhood.

The court also heard Joni had a “very unhappy time” at HMYOI Polmont and HMP Shotts where he had been bullied prior to being moved to HMP Low Moss, where he is now “stable”. His solicitor told Sheriff Craig Caldwell that Joni’s aim is to be transferred to Hungary where his mother lives.

Sheriff Caldwell was asked to consider making any sentence concurrent.

However, as he added a further nine months to his sentence, he told Joni: “You are an extremely violent young man. There is no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence. It will be consecutive to the life imprisonment sentence.”