Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Attraction that proved fatal
McKay’s trial heard how the murderer – who went to the same school as William – started his affair with Louisa Corcoran early last year.
She had been in a 15-year relationship with William – but insisted they had separated by the time she began seeing McKay.
The mum said she first slept with him the day after her birthday, in March 2016, and when asked how many times she and McKay had sex during their affair, Louisa replied:“A few... maybe five.”
The court heard, however, that Louisa ended the fling in early April – just weeks before the murder – and that McKay’s partner Marion Carson was suspicious her man had been playing away.
She said:“I had seen Facebook messages between them. She wrote a message to him,‘if you need to have a little chat let me know’.”
Marion then discovered McKay had a secret phone – with a number saved for a Lou Shepherd – and traced this name on Facebook, finding a Jane Dawson as the only “friend”on the page.
Marion immediately believed this was how McKay was contacting his secret lover, and violence then erupted on April 28 – the day of the murder – when she told William of the affair.
Louisa told the jury how she then got a call from William:“He was just shouting, calling me names like‘cow’ and said,‘I hope it’s not true because you can do better’.”
But, Louisa claimed she“could not remember”if she then told McKay what William had said; it was later that day the mum became aware William was attacked in his flat.
The court heard how a seven-yearold girl found the dad lying injured and, in a police interview, revealed she’d heard“shouting”before a man with“blood”on his hand raced out and into a car.
William was discovered on the bathroom floor and, as a 999 call was made, Louisa tried to save his life by giving him CPR and McKay was later held for the brutal killing.
Louisa later claimed to detectives a neighbour of William’s could have been responsible but, in court, she denied she had said that to help McKay, adding:“Why would I protect him?”