A man found guilty of aiding a murderer’s escape attempt has been given a sentence of two and a half years. Rumen Dambinov was convicted for his role in assisting his cousin, Maksim Iliev, by housing him and raising funds for a flight to Bulgaria, post Iliev’s murder of Adrian Whiting in a Boston pub.
Iliev, 36, of Union Street, Boston, received a life sentence in October of the previous year for the murder. Dambinov, 32, without a fixed residence, pled guilty to assisting an offender and had his sentence handed down at Lincoln Crown Court.
Jonathan Cox, the Prosecutor, disclosed that Dambinov played a significant part in the efforts to sell off jewellery that belonged to Iliev’s partner. This was to fund the escape plan, and Dambinov also arranged transportation to the airport. However, Iliev was captured at Luton Airport before he could embark on his flight.
In passing the sentence, Judge Simon Hirst mentioned that Dambinov provided a haven for Iliev and his partner after the violent episode. “Attempts were subsequently made for them to depart for Bulgaria,” said the Judge, underlining Dambinov’s grasp of the severity of the crime.
Adrian Whiting, 36, managed the Carpenters Arms and died after Iliev struck his head twice with a metal baseball bat in the aftermath of a domestic squabble on the 14th of January 2024. Whiting passed away in hospital 10 days later as a result of his injuries. Iliev was sentenced to a life term with a stipulation to serve a minimum of 17 years. Meanwhile, his partner, Katya Tsoneva, was given a two-year sentence for her role in aiding his escape attempt.
