Louise choked and throat cut by crazed boyfriend
Murdered weeks after thug moved into her home
A CRAZED boyfriend pled guilty yesterday to murdering his partner by strangling her and then slashing her throat.
Daryll Paterson, 36, carried out the brutal attack on former dental nurse Louise Aitchison, 33, at the home they shared in East Kilbride. The couple met whi l e walking their dogs and began living together at Louise’s home in Park Terrace in March.
On April 28, she phoned the police at 10.45pm and asked them to remove Paterson from her home. He left and said he’d phone later to collect his stuff.
Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, told the High Court in Glasgow: “At some point that evening, he murdered Louise Aitchison by compressing her neck, restricting her breathing and striking her on the neck with a knife, causing a gaping wound.”
Paterson turned up at a friend’s house at 1am on April 29 and stayed the night. Later that day, he sobbed as he told him: “I’ve done something really bad. My life’s over.”
The next day, he confessed to his sister Khiya Paterson.
He said Louise was in the bedroom and the knife, which he had washed, was in the kitchen.
Paterson told his sister: “We had an argument. Things got ugly and then she had a knife.
“I don’t know what happened, but suddenly I was on top of her with my hands round her throat.”
A post-mortem found the cause of death was neck injuries. The 8in wound to Louise’s throat was “not survivable”.
Mr Prentice said: “There were no defence wounds.” Louise, who was 4ft 11in and weighed just under 9st, is survived by her mother, sister and brother.
Judge Lady Stacey told Paterson, who attended court via a video link, that he is facing a life sentence.
She will sentence him next month. Defence QC Donald Findlay will give his plea in mitigation then.
Pat er son has two convictions in 2016 and 2017 for domestic disorder.