Murder probe into death of OAP in ‘deliberate’ fire

Victim’s son in hospital after blaze guts house

A MURDER investigation is under way after a 71-year-old widow died in a ‘targeted and deliberate’ house fire.

Grandmother Catherine Kelly was killed and her son William, 41, seriously injured in the blaze at her home late on Saturday.

Mr Kelly’s 41-year-old partner, known by neighbours as Eleanor, was unhurt but said to have been led away screaming from the scene, in Kilmarnock’s Onthank estate.

Mr Kelly was said to be in a stable condition and he was being treated at the town’s Crosshouse Hospital.

Forensic experts and fire investigators were working in and around the semi-detached home, which had a scorched front door and smoke-blackened windows.

Neighbour Stephen Wiseman, 20, said that shortly before the fire, Mr Kelly and his partner had returned from a party at 11.30pm.

He added: ‘Just before midnight I saw flames coming out the windows and people shouting. It wasn’t a nice thing to see.

‘Other neighbours were trying to force open the front door because people were trapped inside and then the police and fire brigade came.’

His sister Anna, 26, said: ‘There were orange flames and thick black smoke coming out of the living room and I think a bedroom.

‘I heard the lassie’s screams as she was taken out by somebody beside her. It was a terrible thing to see.’

Her mother Fiona, 59, said Mrs Kelly was a familiar figure as she walked her West Highland terrier in the area.

Mrs Wiseman said: ‘It really is a shock for this to happen so close to home.

‘Cathy’s husband William died over a year ago and she kept herself to herself.’

Jaswinder Singh KhunKhun, whose shop is two doors from the house, said: ‘Eleanor is a nice lady. Her permanent home is in Crosshouse but she comes here to stay with Willie.

‘Nobody seems to know what happened. It’s very sad.’

Mrs Kelly’s friend Mary Duffy, 67, who lives across the road, said: ‘A neighbour phoned to tell me Cathy had died and I was so sad for her.

‘She worked so hard all her life, the poor soul. She worked for Saxone at their shoe factory until it closed. She was very proud that she did an HNC in social care and after the qualification she worked in a nursing home on nights. She worked on until she was 68.’

Mrs Duffy said she and Mrs Kelly, whose late husband was part-owner of an engineering firm, met walking their dogs.

She said: ‘She didn’t go very far. She did her wee garden, cleaned her house and wasn’t any bother to anybody.’

Blue plastic screens were put up around the side of the house, while officers appeared to be photographing the floor of the front room.

Detective Chief Inspector Allan Burton said: ‘Following a joint investigation with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, we now know that this was a targeted and deliberate act.

‘I would like to acknowledge the bravery of those neighbours and passing motorists who raised the alarm and attempted to do what they could to extinguish the blaze.’

He said ‘all is being done’ to trace those responsible’.

Police said a report would be sent to the procurator fiscal and that officers are following a positive line of inquiry.

‘Heard the lassie’s screams’