By Brian Smith

A CONVICTED killer found guilty of attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend last year was yesterday sentenced to an extended jail term of 18 years and four months by Lord Hardie at the High Court in Glasgow.

Jamie John Green (29) was found guilty by a jury at the high court in Dundee last December of attempting to murder Natalie Archibald at her flat in Ann Street, on May 9 that year by repeatedly striking her on the body with a metal pole to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment, and attempting to murder her.

He was also found guilty of assaulting Natalie Archibald’s mother Dorothy (53) at her home on the floor above her daughter’s flat by repeatedly punching her on the head to her injury.

The sentence was greeted by calls of “murderer” by members of the family of the man Green killed at the Drumgeith Bar, Whitfield, in 1996.

Mrs Agnes Blair (60) called out, “You killed my son and you nearly killed that lassie.”

As he had when he was convicted of culpable homicide, Green provoked further outrage yesterday by calling out, “bye-bye,” when he was led from the dock to begin his sentence.

He had been convicted of culpable homicide at the high court in Edinburgh in 1996 after stabbing Thomas Blair at the Drumgeith Bar, Whitfield, when he tried to make a group of gate-crashing youths leave his sister’s wedding reception.

Speaking after the case, Mrs Blair said Green once again showed no remorse.

“I hope he meets his own type in prison. We tried to tell people he was going to do it again.”

During the week-long trial at the High Court in Dundee jurors heard that Green had known Natalie Archibald for several years and they had a brief relationship which was rekindled in the days leading up to the incident.

However, she had thought better of it and told him the relationship was over.

She asked him to come and collect clothes he had left in her home but had locked the door after he made threats.

She was struck repeatedly with a metal bar when Green managed to get into the house.

Advocate depute Peter Hammond asked jurors to accept the attack was, “so ferocious, he did not care whether she lived or died.”

The blows smashed into her arms breaking and dislocating her right elbow and caused a multiple fracture to the left forearm. Both injuries required surgery to insert a plate and screws.

The Crown asked jurors to accept that the blows were of such force that they would be entitled to convict Green of attempted murder and a majority of jurors agreed.

In mitigation yesterday defence counsel James Reilly told Lord Hardie that the social background report and risk assessment made depressing reading.

Green had a difficult childhood against a background of domestic violence, frequent parental separations and social work involvement from the age of five.

After his release from the nine-year sentence imposed for the culpable homicide conviction there was a brief interlude when he turned his life around.

He went to France, found work as a roofer and met and became engaged to a girl there, but was ultimately recalled to prison because he had left the country without notifying the parole board.

Mr Reilly said that because of his convictions for violence Green had spent most of his adult life in prison and was now described as institutionalised.

Mr Reilly said his client still did not accept he was responsible for the injuries sustained by Natalie Archibald but has expressed considerable sympathy for the victim.

At the trial Green said a former boyfriend John McGrandle attacked her out of jealousy when he discovered she was looking after his clothes.

Lord Hardie reminded Green that he had heard evidence from Natalie Archibald and medical evidence about the “horrific injuries and consequences she sustained from your striking her repeatedly with a metal pole aimed at her head and she protected herself by putting her arms up.

“She is permanently disabled and disfigured.”

Lord Hardie observed that a majority of jurors accepted there was, “a vicious unprovoked attack on a defenceless woman in her own home.”

He said that although the social work report made dreadful reading there were many from equally unfortunate backgrounds who did not resort to criminal activity.

In view of his record Lord Hardie said he considers the appropriate custodial period of the sentence he was going to impose would be 12 years but because of the time Green spent in custody awaiting trial and sentence he would limit that to 11 years and four months.

Lord Hardie told Green that once he had completed his custodial sentence he would be released on licence during which period he would be subject to recall if he committed further offences or breached the terms of his licence.

The period of recall would also be extended by a period of seven years making a total sentence of 18 years and four months.