Jailed, husband who killed his stricken wife in ‘final act of love’
Pensioner smothered 63-year-old with a pillow in death ‘pact’ to end her suffering
A DEVOTED husband who killed his wife in a ‘final act of love’ after she fell seriously ill has been jailed for more than three years.
Ian Gordon, 67, smothered his 63-year-old wife Patricia with a pillow at their home after she became convinced she had lung cancer but was so afraid of hospitals she did not seek treatment.
It was claimed in court that the couple had made a death pact before Gordon, who was convicted of culpable homicide last month, killed his wife of 46 years at their home in Troon, Ayrshire, on April 28 last year.
Yesterday at the High Court in Edinburgh, defence counsel Gordon Jackson, QC, told judge Lord Arthurson that a doctor who knew Gordon had said he did not act with malice.
Mr Jackson added: ‘He [the accused] said it was a “final act of love”. That is exactly what happened.’
But, passing sentence yesterday, Lord Arthurson told Gordon that he had read supportive letters from many people and a report which was ‘significantly’ in the pensioner’s favour. A custodial term was, however, in the public interest he said.
The judge added: ‘You are a 67-year-old first offender who has lived an exemplary life within your community in partnership with your lifelong companion, your wife, the deceased.
‘You continue to have the very real, united and affectionate support of your entire immediate and extended family and friends, including the brother of the deceased. These are all factors which are highly in your favour.
‘Turning now to the offence for which I must sentence you this morning, namely the culpable homicide of your wife.
‘You will well understand that in pleading guilty to this offence you have accepted that your own conduct was the immediate and direct cause of her death.
‘There are powerful mitigatory factors in your favour.
‘However, given the nature of the charge of which you have been convicted, a custodial sentence is inevitable.
‘It is in the public interest that I discharge my duties and the
‘Together for nearly 50 years’
sentence of this court will be three years and four months.’
Gordon went on trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month.
An initial charge of murder was withdrawn after jurors heard a moving account from the couple’s daughter, Gail Whyte.
She spoke of her father’s devotion to his wife – and said that she fully supported him.
The 46-year-old told the court that Gordon gave up work in 2015 to look after her mother, who was ‘convinced’ she had lung cancer but did not want to be diagnosed or treated.
She said that Mrs Gordon, who suffered from anxiety and depression, had a fear of hospitals.
Mrs Whyte added: ‘[My father] had nothing whatsoever to gain by doing that and absolutely everything to lose. They were together nearly 50 years.’
A doctor told the trial it was likely that Mrs Gordon had lung cancer but she did not want diagnosis or treatment.
Describing her mother’s final hours, Mrs Whyte said: ‘She was screaming and moaning. She was clearly in excruciating pain.
‘I have never heard a noise like that before. It was absolutely harrowing.’
She added that around 4.30am the next day, her father phoned to say her mother ‘was away’.
In a statement to police, Mrs Whyte said her father told her he was ‘sorry’ and ‘couldn’t see her in that pain’. She added: ‘I don’t remember his exact words but something like, “I’m not going to tell you what I did”. He then said “I know I’m going to jail but I don’t have a single regret”.’
Mrs Whyte added that she knew her parents had a ‘pact’.
She said: ‘My mum was my dad’s entire world, everything he did was for my mum. She was his reason for getting up in the morning.’
The trial also heard that Gordon told police officers who arrived at his home: ‘I put a pillow over her face to finish her off. I made a pact that I would help her out.’
Yesterday, Mr Jackson told the court that Gordon’s family fully supported him.
He added: ‘This is a very, very close family. There should not be a custodial sentence in this case – that’s my position entirely.
‘It is absolutely clear that this family is united in this matter. They can’t get the grieving process started because they are spending all of the time supporting their father.
‘It would be a tragedy for them and for their father if he went to jail – it would be a tragedy upon tragedy.
‘I have never came across a case quite like this one.’
However, Lord Arthurson told Gordon, who has no previous convictions, that he had no other option but to impose a custodial sentence.
He added that this was discounted from a five-year term.