Murdered mum and girl are laid to rest together
Mourners flocked to bid heartfelt farewell
A TOWN ground to a halt yesterday as mourners turned out to say farewell to a mother and daughter stabbed to death by evil stepdad Steven Robertson. Emma Robertson Coupland, 39, and Nicole Anderson, 24, were laid to rest after a joint funeral service in Kilmarnock. Traffic was at a standstill on roads surrounding Riccarton Cemetery as a grieving community came out in force to pay tribute to the much-loved pair. A lone piper played Highland Cathedral as the two coffins made the short trip to the grave side with family and friends packing out the vast cemetery.
Mourners got the chance to pay their respects to Emma and Nicole almost four weeks after their lives were cruelly snatched away on Thursday, February 4.
Mum-of-four Emma died after being attacked by her ex-husband as she left her domestic services job at
Kilmarnock’s Crosshouse Hospital on February 4. The 39-year-old was seriously injured and she was pronounced dead at the scene at around 7.45pm.
Just 20 minutes later, the knifeman attacked his stepdaughter Nicole Anderson, 24, on Portland Street. She was taken to hospital but sadly lost her life. The 40-year-old killer fled in a car but died after crashing on the C50 road.
The Kilmarnock community has rallied around the griefstricken loved ones with more than £25,000 raised to help them cover the cost of the funeral.
A charity single is to be released by the Saltcoats Christian charity, Come Back to God, who plan to donate all profits to the family.
THE UK Government has promised to address the tax scandal that left 200 Scottish workers in poverty and locked out of
the furlough scheme.
Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt made the pledge after MP Stewart McDonald highlighted the plight of staff, including those at the Blue Dog bar and Ad Lib restaurant in Glasgow, in a Commons debate. The Tory minister’s response came as a crowdfunder was launched with backing from Deacon Blue singer Ricky Ross and TV host Michelle McManus. The Daily Record has told how millionaire Blue Dog and Ad Lib owners Alan Tomkins and Billy McAneney refused to pay workers even minimum wage after tax irregularities meant they were locked out of the furlough scheme.
McDonald made an appeal to Mordaunt to aid workers, quoting a Facebook post from barman John Russell who stated: “I don’t know what to do any more, I’m fighting tooth and nail.
“Mentally I’m defeated and I’m in a carousel of depression and self loathing but bills keep coming in and rent needs paid.”
McDonald said: “So I am pleading with ministers, please look at these details, please get these people the financial support they
are entitled to and so desperately, desperately need.” He told the debate on Monday night “an issue” between the businesses and HMRC have led to zero furlough payments being paid since October.
Different payroll outsourcing firms used by Tomkins and McAneney were wound up owing large sums to HMRC, which pulled the plug on their furlough payments last October.
The tycoons have refused to discuss any arrangements they entered into regarding the payrolls.
Mordaunt, a minister without portfolio in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, told McDonald the businesses were “stuck between a rock and a hard place” and added: “I undertake to ensure that those issues are addressed.”
McDonald replied: “I’m pleased that the Paymaster General has given a commitment to Parliament that she will address this tortuous situation. This needs to happen as swiftly as possible so that staff can get the financial security they have been lacking in so far.”
Barman John said he had found it surreal for his case to be raised in Parliament.
He added: “It’s good to finally see something that looks like progress.”
The crowdfunder on gofundme.com claims Ad Lib and Blue Dog staff are owed thousands in wages and unable to access Universal Credit because details haven’t been processed properly by their employer.
A spokesperson for Tomkins and McAneney last night blamed HMRC for failing to resolve the issue.
They claimed to have paid staff furlough wages out of their own funds until the end of October and reduced amounts since then due to financial constraints.
They added: “The owners are desperate for a resolution so all staff can be paid in full what they are due through the furlough scheme.”