Rogue's gallery

Armed robber used painting to turn his life around in jail

- MARK MCGIVERN

A NOTORIOUS armed robber has transformed his life to become an artist after hitting rock bottom during a nine-year sentence.

Jamie Baird turned his life of drug-fuelled gangland madness around inside jail after almost dying from an overdose.

He will now stage an exhibition of paintings finished after he broke free from addiction.

The turnaround came after a period in segregation in tough Shotts prison in 2020, when he realised he could die behind bars or start to live a meaningful life outside.

The show at East Kilbride Art Centre will be staged a stone's throw from a bookie's robbed by Baird five years ago on a five-day crime spree.

His story mirrors that of gang murderer Jimmy Boyle, who became a famous sculptor after his violent and rebellious time in Barlinnie in the 1970s.

Baird, 36, said his path to getting drug-free was enabled by some of Scotland's most feared gang leaders, who respected that he wanted to change his life.

"I was the kind of guy to chan who'd be up for all the stupid anti-social behaviour and I had a lot of violence in my life, which I feel nothing but regret for.

"But I have turned it around forever. I'm sure of that. My exhibition will mark a huge step forward for me and people can hopefully see a lot of sincerity in my work." a Baird was jailed in 2019 for five robberies in Lanarkshire in a booze and drugs bender.