Jealous former soldier guilty of murdering ex-partner in knife frenzy

A FORMER soldier obsessed that his former partner had cheated on him has been convicted of her murder.

Gary Brown stabbed Alyson Watt 42 times at her home in Paisley in June last year.

He also carried out a ferocious hammer attack on an innocent 16-year-old boy, who stayed with Miss Watt. The 55 year-old struck after finding a text months earlier that showed the Barnardo’s charity worker may have kissed another man.

Brown fled after the horror attacks – but Ms Watt, 52, was able to whisper to a neighbour the former squaddie was the culprit as she lay dying.

He denied murder insisting he was suffering from an “abnormality of the mind” at the time.

Brown was said to have a personality disorder.

But he now faces life in jail after jurors yesterday rejected his claims.

He had earlier pled guilty to the attempted murder of the boy, who now needs round-the-clock care.

Lord Summers told him: “You have been found guilty of a savage murder. Your stabbing was brutal and violent.

“No-one who heard the evidence will ever forget it. Striking a defenceless young boy was also shameful and shocking. For these crimes, you will receive a long custodial sentence.”

The former Scots Guard had previously served during the Falklands War.

He latterly worked as an engineer with Scottishpower. After a failed marriage, Brown, from Uddingston, Lanarkshire, met Ms Watt on a dating site around 2015.

He described her as a “beautiful looking woman” and believed they would one day get married.

It emerged after the verdict was returned that Brown had previously been fined for a violent road rage incident. Brown will be sentenced on July 6.