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A former police officer from Northern Ireland has pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the High Court in Livingston after driving his car through the window of a funeral home in the Borders, injuring his ex-girlfriend and her mother. William McBurnie, 57, had been drunk when he smashed through the front window, nearly hitting Zoe Turnbull, 46, and her mother Beverley, 71, inside. McBurnie had been struggling to come to terms with the end of the relationship and had been drinking heavily for four months. The court was shown CCTV footage from inside the funeral directors in Jedburgh, that was run by Ms Turnbull.
The two women narrowly escaped serious injury. Ms Turnbull suffered a bruised leg, hearing loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Her mother suffered two cardiac arrests after leaving the badly damaged building. McBurnie had served as an officer with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and was also an advanced driver. He had been working as a photographer with a local newspaper in the Borders while he was in a two-year relationship with Zoe Turnbull. However, that relationship ended in June 2022.
In a statement, Ms Turnbull said that she had been “trapped” in an abusive relationship with McBurnie for about two years. She thanked the local community for their support over the last 22 months. She said “We as a society can’t let evil, manipulative people be allowed to inflict their harmful will on others” and that she is determined to take back control of her life.
Judge Lord Mulholland told McBurnie to expect a long prison sentence for what he described as a cowardly and wickedly reckless act. McBurnie had only a vague recollection of what had happened and had expressed “genuine remorse” for his actions. His sentencing has been deferred until 19 September for background reports
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