DAVID BRYSON FROM LARKHALL SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS FOR MURDER IN BULGARIA
| Red Rose Database
Larkhall Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has drawn significant attention across Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, David Bryson, a pensioner originally from Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the brutal murder of an 11-year-old boy named Stanislav Mirchev. The tragic incident took place in the remote village of Lagoshevtsi, located in the north-western part of Bulgaria, in January of the previous year.
According to court records, Bryson, aged 72 at the time of the crime, strangled the young boy to death. The prosecution argued that the murder was committed in a fit of uncontrollable rage, which allegedly stemmed from the boy torturing Bryson’s dog. Initially, Bryson claimed during the trial that he had killed Stanislav in a moment of anger, but he later changed his plea to not guilty, asserting that he was innocent of the charges.
At the Vidin Regional Court, Bryson was convicted of murder and was ordered to pay a substantial compensation of 200,000 Bulgarian Levs, approximately £84,000, to the victim’s family. Prosecutors had requested a life sentence without the possibility of parole, citing the cruelty involved in the crime, but this request was ultimately rejected by the court. Bryson’s defense team argued that the conviction was primarily based on his confession during the investigation, which they claimed was not sufficient evidence for a life sentence.
Following the sentencing, the boy’s father, Veselin Mirchev, expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that he wished Bulgaria still had the death penalty, reflecting the depth of his grief and anger. Bryson, for his part, announced his intention to appeal the verdict and maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
Stanislav Mirchev had been working for Bryson, performing chores around his property, before he mysteriously disappeared on January 4, 2012. A large-scale search operation was launched shortly after, and the boy’s body was discovered two weeks later, on January 18, in the undergrowth near the outskirts of Lagoshevtsi. Two days after the body was found, Bryson was detained as the primary suspect in the case.
Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Bryson failed a lie-detector test before eventually admitting guilt. The accused, who had moved to Bulgaria two years prior after working as an aviation mechanic in Germany, claimed that the boy had tortured his dog, which led to his violent reaction. It was expected that Bryson would plead guilty and potentially receive a more lenient sentence, possibly served in Britain. However, in September, he reversed his plea, asserting that he was not guilty and denying any involvement in the boy’s death, stating, “I will not plead guilty. I have not seen the kid on that date and I have not killed him.”
Forensic examinations of Stanislav’s body revealed that he had engaged in sexual activity prior to his death, but no charges related to this were brought against Bryson. It was also reported that Bryson paid the boy to perform odd jobs around his home and took photographs of him during these tasks. Villager Veselka Kostova shared her impressions, saying, “I only spoke to him a couple of times. He said he’d come to Bulgaria because it was cheaper and his pension would last longer than in Scotland. He told me he was divorced and had three daughters. He would sometimes hire local children to help with repairs and took photos of them.”
After Bryson’s arrest, chief investigator Vladislav Vlashev stated that the accused showed “no remorse” for his actions. The senior police officer remarked, “He displays little respect and even laughs about the boy’s death. He seems to have no remorse and claims the boy deserved to die for poisoning his dogs.” The prosecution has announced plans to appeal the verdict and is seeking a life sentence without parole for Bryson, emphasizing the brutality of the crime and the need for a harsher punishment.
According to court records, Bryson, aged 72 at the time of the crime, strangled the young boy to death. The prosecution argued that the murder was committed in a fit of uncontrollable rage, which allegedly stemmed from the boy torturing Bryson’s dog. Initially, Bryson claimed during the trial that he had killed Stanislav in a moment of anger, but he later changed his plea to not guilty, asserting that he was innocent of the charges.
At the Vidin Regional Court, Bryson was convicted of murder and was ordered to pay a substantial compensation of 200,000 Bulgarian Levs, approximately £84,000, to the victim’s family. Prosecutors had requested a life sentence without the possibility of parole, citing the cruelty involved in the crime, but this request was ultimately rejected by the court. Bryson’s defense team argued that the conviction was primarily based on his confession during the investigation, which they claimed was not sufficient evidence for a life sentence.
Following the sentencing, the boy’s father, Veselin Mirchev, expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that he wished Bulgaria still had the death penalty, reflecting the depth of his grief and anger. Bryson, for his part, announced his intention to appeal the verdict and maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
Stanislav Mirchev had been working for Bryson, performing chores around his property, before he mysteriously disappeared on January 4, 2012. A large-scale search operation was launched shortly after, and the boy’s body was discovered two weeks later, on January 18, in the undergrowth near the outskirts of Lagoshevtsi. Two days after the body was found, Bryson was detained as the primary suspect in the case.
Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Bryson failed a lie-detector test before eventually admitting guilt. The accused, who had moved to Bulgaria two years prior after working as an aviation mechanic in Germany, claimed that the boy had tortured his dog, which led to his violent reaction. It was expected that Bryson would plead guilty and potentially receive a more lenient sentence, possibly served in Britain. However, in September, he reversed his plea, asserting that he was not guilty and denying any involvement in the boy’s death, stating, “I will not plead guilty. I have not seen the kid on that date and I have not killed him.”
Forensic examinations of Stanislav’s body revealed that he had engaged in sexual activity prior to his death, but no charges related to this were brought against Bryson. It was also reported that Bryson paid the boy to perform odd jobs around his home and took photographs of him during these tasks. Villager Veselka Kostova shared her impressions, saying, “I only spoke to him a couple of times. He said he’d come to Bulgaria because it was cheaper and his pension would last longer than in Scotland. He told me he was divorced and had three daughters. He would sometimes hire local children to help with repairs and took photos of them.”
After Bryson’s arrest, chief investigator Vladislav Vlashev stated that the accused showed “no remorse” for his actions. The senior police officer remarked, “He displays little respect and even laughs about the boy’s death. He seems to have no remorse and claims the boy deserved to die for poisoning his dogs.” The prosecution has announced plans to appeal the verdict and is seeking a life sentence without parole for Bryson, emphasizing the brutality of the crime and the need for a harsher punishment.