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Monday, July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020
Binotti fled Myanmar, south east Asia, after the 2016 killingCredit: Alan MacGregor Ewing - The Sun Glasgow


A MURDER victim’s wife is demanding justice after we found the Scots prime suspect for a second time.

Nong Ferguson, 36, made the plea as we tracked Interpol’s most wanted Brit Harris Binotti, 29, to Govan, Glasgow.

Her husband Gary, 47, was killed in Myanmar, south east Asia, in November 2016.

Teacher Gary's brother has also told of his suffering after we found the fugitive living under cops’ noses.

Martin Ferguson, 54, demanded the prime suspect in sibling Gary Ferguson’s slaying be arrested as we traced him to a flat near Govan police station in Glasgow.

Binotti, 29, is thought to have moved to the city bolthole with girlfriend Elsy Devolder after we busted him in 2017 at a flat just over a mile away in Craigton.

He was then branded Britain’s most wanted man and Interpol had issued a red alert for him over the 2016 killing of expat Gary, 47, in Myanmar, south east Asia.

But he was never nicked or questioned after fleeing the Far East — because Home Office chiefs refused to extradite him back there to face trial and potential execution amid human rights fears.

At his latest hideaway — a ground-floor tenement flat — Binotti refused to answer our reporter’s questions.

But Martin tonight demanded action to secure justice for Gary’s grieving wife Nong, 36, and young schoolboy son Jeremy.

He said of Binotti: “Anybody in his company needs to be aware and vigilant.

“He is a scumbag who has to be behind bars for the safety of others.

“The coward left Myanmar so he could avoid justice.

“His human rights are protected by not extraditing him for the murder but our family has had no right at all.

“How long do we have to suffer? It’s time for justice for our family and Gary’s wife and son. I would love to confront him.”


Devastated Nong added: “All I want is justice for Gary. He deserves it and it would be a piece of closure for me. I am struggling to keep my head above water.”

His human rights are protected by not extraditing him for the murder but our family has had no right at all."
                                                                                                                            Martin Ferguson


We spotted Binotti looking relaxed in jogging bottoms, a T-shirt and flip-flops at his pad on Friday — despite being wanted on an international arrest warrant.

He’d ditched his scraped- back ponytail for a shaven head and bulked up, but still sported a full beard.

We approached the French-born graduate — who was raised in Dumfries and went to university in Aberdeen — as he was climbing into his silver Renault Clio.

When asked how it felt to still be wanted for murder by Interpol, he locked the motor and fled back inside.

He did not show face again for the rest of the day.

By dawn the next morning, Binotti’s car had vanished from the street.

But it was later spotted behind his mum Helen Stockbridge’s house in Dumfries. There was no response at the family home.

It’s understood Binotti had introduced himself to neighbours at his latest address as John, his middle name.


Our exclusive pictures today show him for the first time since UK authorities refused Myanmar law chiefs’ request to extradite him in 2018.

Residents living next to him in Govan said he appeared to be friendly with other tenants in the block.

But it seems neighbours were unaware of his sinister past. One source tonight said: “He has been living there and keeping his head down for quite a while and the couple have become friendly with the neighbours.

“But they have no idea he is wanted for murder.

“I’m sure people would take a dim view if they knew he was wanted for such a serious crime.”

Another added: “It makes my blood run cold to think he has been here under an assumed name all that time. It’s shocking.”
Meanwhile, neighbours at his old Craigton gaff told how Binotti did a runner when we rumbled him there with Elsy three years ago.

One revealed: “They were very quiet, the pair of them. Secretive even.

“When the story came out I was shocked. They just disappeared overnight and no-one has seen them again.”


We previously told how Martin had begged Myanmar prosecutors to release crime files on Binotti so he could be tried in Scotland. He revealed UK diplomats wanted to view the evidence dossier gathered against him.

But two years later, Gary’s shattered family are no closer to seeing his killer nailed.

The teacher, of Bangor, Co Down, was murdered following a night out with Binotti, his colleague at the Horizon International School in Myanmar capital Yangon.

He was found with fatal head and chest wounds in the apartment the Scot shared with Elsy. Nong and young son Jeremy have since been tormented by the knowledge that Binotti is still walking the streets.

In September 2017, Martin even wrote to then Home Secretary Amber Rudd asking her to grant permission for his arrest after the Burmese authorities formally asked for his extradition. But the Home Office refused to rubber- stamp the move.

Martin said the process has taken its toll on loved ones. He added: “We are suffering tremendously with this and the longer it takes, the angrier we are getting.”

Last night the Home Office, Crown Office and Interpol refused to comment.

But Police Scotland said: “The Myanmar authorities have the lead in the investigation into the death of Gary Ferguson.

"Police Scotland has no authority to arrest anyone at this stage. We’ll continually monitor any ongoing risk and take appropriate measures.”


kevin.duguid@the-sun.co.uk

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