Killer laughed as he burned his ex-lover to death
A KILLER who stood laughing after setting his former partner on fire has been sent to a high security psychiatric hospital.
Kevin Marks, 48, stood over businesswoman Ann Drummond, 47, as she tried to put out the fire he started in her car.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard she suffered burns to more than 80 per cent of her body and later died at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The attack, on June 25 last year, happened hours after Miss Drummond met Marks at Livingston Sheriff Court, following his release on bail in connection with other charges.
The court heard she had gone to meet him as she was so concerned about his poor mental health.
However, Marks, a patient of the State Hospital at Carstairs, attacked Miss Drummond in her vehicle at an unclassified countryside road near Bathgate, West Lothian, the same day.
Prosecutor Alan Cameron told the court that eyewitnesses noticed a car on fire.
He said: ‘The first people driving on the road stopped when they saw what was happening. They saw Marks standing in the roadway badly burned and Miss Drummond lying on the verge apparently even more burned. They asked Marks if he had contacted emergency services and he replied “no” so they called 999.’
Paramedics took Miss Drummond and Marks, both of Bathgate, to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance.
Mr Cameron said: ‘In the ambulance Miss Drummond spoke to paramedics. She said Marks had poured petrol on her and set her alight.
‘She said that she had got out of the car and while she was rolling on the ground trying to put the fire out he was standing over her laughing.’
Marks was placed in a medically induced coma after he
‘Poured petrol on her’
was found to have burns on 50 per cent of his body. He later recovered from his injuries.
Miss Drummond was given emergency treatment, placed in an induced coma and transferred later that evening to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Consultants said her burns were not survivable. She died on June 27.
Marks, who had been in a relationship with Miss Drummond for around two years, was charged with murder, assault and threatening behaviour, aggravated under section one of the 2016 Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Act.
However, he was found not guilty of the charges.
The Crown accepted his health was so poor at the time of the offence that he was not responsible for his actions.
The proceedings were adjourned to another hearing on October 28. The court will then decide how to proceed.
Marks continues to be detained at Carstairs.