TELL US WHERE MUM’S BODY IS
Pensioner convicted of murdering ‘vulnerable’ neighbour
despite extensive searches. Metcalff made several trips to Patti’s flat following her murder including in a hired van apparently to collect a mattress and bed frame.
He also ceased phone contact with Patti after her murder date despite the pair making 143 calls that month.
Metcalff faces a life sentence for murdering, raping and physically and indecently assaulting Patti.
The dad was also convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice as well as raping and physically assaulting two other women between 1971 and 2004.
There were shouts of: “Yes” and crying from the public gallery.
Metcalff was remanded in custody pending background reports ahead of sentencing next month. He has been put on the sex offenders register.
Jurors heard Patti first met Metcalff, a former assistant manager tyre specialist, in 2008 when she moved into the flat above his in Burnfoot Crescent, Paisley.
Patti had just returned from going on holiday in Gran Canaria.
Metcalff became the guarantor for her new flat in Girvan in October 2017 and paid her deposit as well as her first month’s rent totalling £700.
The trial was told the pair made 54 texts and 143 calls to each other between November 1 and 13 – the day of the murder.
Metcalff made a final two calls to Patti on November 14 which went to voicemail before he stopped contact.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told jurors: “This was an extremely vulnerable person who is someone I suggest Metcalff took advantage of.
“Metcalff murdered Patti and disposed of items linked to that murder to conceal and destroy evidence to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution.
“As we know, Patti has never been found and on the evidence, the last person to have ever seen her is Metcalff.”
The trial was told Metcalff ran an errand for Patti, checked her bank balance and withdrew £250 on the day of her murder.
He hired a van the next day which he claimed was used to collect and dump Patti’s old mattress and bed frame.
Metcalff told jurors he had no contact with Patti on that day.
Patti’s daughter Alannah initially tried to report her missing in January 2018 when Patti missed her 18th birthday and her grandmother’s 70th which was deemed “out of character.” Alannah was told police were not taking the case up as Patti had earlier overstayed on holiday to Gran Canaria.
The missing persons inquiry was only launched in March 2018 after Patti’s cousin reported there had been no further contact.
Metcalff was arrested on July 17, 2019.
He told jurors that he “really did not know” where Patti was.
You took her away from us and I will never forgive you ALANNAH McGRORY ON FURY AND GRIEF AT METCALFF