Talk of one of Britain’s most wanted criminals during his early twenties, and you’d talk of Jimmy Boyle – a former gangster from Scotland with a net worth of $2.5 Million.
After being released from prison, he turned a new leaf and became a sculptor and novelist. He wrote an autobiography called “A Sense of Freedom,” which was later made into a film of the same name.
He also founded the Gateway Exchange, a charitable organization that provides art therapy workshops to recovering drug addicts and ex-convicts.
Jimmy was also able to amass so much wealth and fortune to an estimated net worth of $2.5 million.
This article will delve into his career and how he gathered so much fortune after exiting prison.
Profile Summary
| Name | Jimmy Boyle |
| Date of birth | 17 May 1944 |
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Occupation | Sculptor, novelist |
| Spouse | Kate Fenwick (m. 2007) Sarah Trevelyan (m. 1980, div. 2000) |
| Children | Suzi Boyle, Kydd Boyle (deceased) |
| Notable works | A Sense of Freedom (autobiography), Hero of the Underworld (novel), Gulliver (sculpture) |
| Awards and honors | Best documentary prize at the Fifa Montreal Awards in 2002 |
| Current residence | France and Morocco |
| Net Worth | $2.5 Million |
Net Worth
Jimmy Boyle’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $2.5 million. He accumulated his wealth through his artistic career as a sculptor and novelist, as well as from his charitable work initiatives and donations.
Additionally, he earned royalties from his autobiography, A Sense of Freedom, and its film adaptation.
Career
Jimmy Boyle’s career can be divided into three main phases: criminal, artistic, and social work.
All of which are worth looking into; here’s a glimpse into his entire career:
Criminal life
Jimmy Boyle grew up in the Gorbals, one of Glasgow’s roughest and most deprived areas. He became involved in gang violence and crime from an early age and soon established himself as a feared and ruthless moneylender.
In 1967, he was arrested and convicted for the murder of another gangster, William “Babs” Rooney, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has always denied killing Rooney but admitted to being a violent and sometimes brutal person.
He spent the first years of his incarceration in various prisons, where he was often involved in fights and riots. He was considered one of the most dangerous and notorious prisoners in Scotland.
Artistic life
In 1973, Jimmy Boyle was transferred to the particular unit of Barlinnie Prison. This progressive and experimental facility aimed to rehabilitate prisoners through art and education.
There, he met Joyce Laing, an art therapist who encouraged him to express himself through sculpture and writing. Boyle discovered his talent and passion for art and began to create various works, such as a concrete sculpture of Gulliver, a series of prison diaries, and an autobiography, A Sense of Freedom, which was published in 1977 and later adapted into a film.
He also developed his skills as a novelist. He wrote Hero of the Underworld, a fictional account of his life in the underworld, and A Stolen Smile, a thriller about the theft of the Mona Lisa.
His artistic works gained him recognition and acclaim nationally and internationally, and he won several awards and honors, such as the Best Documentary Prize at the Fifa Montreal Awards in 2002.
Social Work life
After serving 14 years in prison, Jimmy Boyle was released on parole in 1981. He moved to Edinburgh with his first wife, Sarah Trevelyan, a psychiatrist he married while still in prison.
He continued his artistic career but also devoted himself to helping other marginalized and vulnerable people, especially ex-convicts and drug addicts. In 1983, he founded the Gateway Exchange. This charity offered its clients art therapy workshops, exhibitions, counseling, and other services.
The project received support and funding from celebrities and philanthropists, such as Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, and John Paul Getty. However, the Gateway Exchange faced many difficulties and challenges, such as financial problems, legal disputes, and media scrutiny, and eventually closed down in the late 1980s.
Boyle also faced personal tragedies, such as the murder of his son, James, a drug addict, in 1994. He later remarried to Kate Fenwick, a British actress, and moved to France and Morocco, where he still lives and works.