CCTV footage has captured the horrifying moment a former police officer crashed his car into his ex-partner’s funeral home in a chilling attempted murder bid. William McBurnie, aged 57, was sentenced to jail today for ramming his vehicle through the front window of his ex-partner’s business in a shocking incident that unfolded in Jedburgh, Scottish Borders, in December 2022.
The CCTV footage reveals McBurnie’s car approaching the funeral parlour at a dangerously high speed before violently crashing through the glass window, while his ex-partner Zoe Turnbull and her 71-year-old mother, Beverly Turnbull, were inside. The two women can be seen darting against a wall inside the shop in a desperate attempt to evade the vehicle, with debris flying through the air as the car smashes through the front window. McBurnie is then seen exiting the car before making his escape.
Having pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial, McBurnie was handed a 13-year extended sentence with 11 years in prison at the High Court in Livingston on Thursday. The near-fatal attack left Zoe Turnbull, aged 46, with hearing loss and injuries to her back and legs. Describing McBurnie as the ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ of Jedburgh, Zoe expressed relief at his sentencing, stating, “Finally, after two years of physical, emotional, and practical chaos, we have justice.”
She further added, “My mother and I now hope to put this painful chapter behind us so we request our privacy is respected as we move forwards.” Encouraging others to seek help in situations of domestic abuse, she said, “You have a voice and there are so many people around you ready to listen – and act – so you can get the help you need.”
The court heard how McBurnie, who had been struggling to cope with the end of the relationship, consumed alcohol before recklessly driving into town and carrying out the attack on his former partner’s business. Additionally, he had been sending unwanted messages to his ex-partner leading up to the attempted murder. As part of his sentencing, McBurnie was given non-harassment orders preventing him from contacting the two women and was also disqualified from driving for 16-and-a-half years.