Jailed for 18 years, murderer who slit his partner’s throat
A MAN who murdered his 33-year- old partner by strangling her and then slashing her throat was yesterday jailed for life.
Daryll Paterson, 36, carried out the brutal attack on former dental nurse Louise Aitchison at the home they shared in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, in April last year.
At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lady Stacey sentenced Paterson to at least 18 years in jail, saying: ‘You pled guilty to the murder of Louise Aitchison, a woman whom you had been living with as your partner.
‘She was entitled to look to you for love and support but you betrayed her trust and by your actions you took her life.
‘You will have to live with that knowledge for the rest of your life.’
Donald Findlay, QC, defending, told the court that Paterson had a difficult childhood and his life was blighted by alcohol.
He said his client did not have ‘ a clear recollection’ of events before the killing but ‘does accept the two of them had a considerable amount to drink [and] there was clearly some kind of argument which gathered momentum and got out of hand.
‘He can remember having his hand on her throat, he can remember her having a knife.
‘He can remember a fight and he can remember the aftermath.’
The court heard that on April 28 last year, Miss Aitchison phoned the police at 10.45pm and asked them to remove Paterson from her home.
He left and said he would phone to arrange to return and collect his belongings.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, said: ‘At some point that evening Mr Paterson murdered Louise Aitchison by compressing her neck, restricting her breathing and striking her on the neck with a knife causing a gaping wound.’
At 1am on April 29, Paterson turned up at the home of his friend, Adam Ford, and told him: ‘ I’ve done something really bad, I’m going to go
‘Hands around her throat’
away for a very long time. My life’s over.’
The next day, Paterson confessed to his sister Khiya Paterson, saying: ‘She was kicking me and 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 and then it happened.’
Police found Miss Aitchison lying dead in the bedroom, covered with a blanket.
A post mortem examination found the cause of death was neck injuries. The wound to her throat measured almost eight inches.
Miss Aitchison did voluntary work in India when she was 23 then worked as a dental nurse for 15 years before becoming a support worker. She was unemployed when she died.