Retired police officer jailed for killing wife

CRIME: Ex-inspector to serve minimum of 15 years for murdering partner

A retired police officer who murdered his wife in their home and claimed she “fell out of bed” was jailed for a minimum of 15 years.

Keith Farquharson, 60, strangled his wife Alice in their bedroom on August 29 last year.

The father of three performed CPR and dialled 999, pretending Alice, 56, had fallen out of bed when he was not in the room at their home in Aberdeen.

The couple had been married for more than 30 years, and Farquharson claimed they planned to retire together.

Alice had worked as a pupil support assistant at Hazlehead Primary School in the city for 17 years.

Farquharson lied to his family about Alice’s death, which a post-mortem examination showed was caused by compression of the neck.

And he continued to lie through a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, forcing his children to give evidence – but was convicted last month.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 15 years.

“Even if you regretted it afterwards the jury found your actions at the time to be murderous. JUDGE LADY STACEY

Sentencing, judge Lady Stacey said: “You murdered your wife, to whom you had been married for over 30 years and with whom you lived.

“You took the life of a woman in her 50s. In doing so you deprived her of what would probably have been many more years of life.

“You are 60 years old. You have one previous conviction, which does you no credit, but it is not for a crime of violence.

“You have been a police officer for most of your working life, and you attained the rank of inspector.

“It is distressing that a man who has been in such a position should behave as you did and commit a very serious crime.

“You compressed her neck and face and restricted her breathing and so caused her death.”

She continued: “In convicting you of murder, the jury found that your actions showed that at the time you either meant to kill or were so wickedly reckless as to the consequences of your actions, that it amounted to murder.

“Even if you regretted it afterwards the jury found your actions at the time to be murderous.”

In a statement, Alice’s children said: “To describe the loss of our mum, Alice, as a shock would be an understatement.

“She was an incredibly kind and caring person, with a great love for life and the people in it.

“She was always thinking of others and put everyone else before herself.”

Keith Farquharson strangled his wife Alice to death then told police she “fell out of bed”.