Sex predator guilty of killing mum 36yrs ago
Murderer was on day release from prison at time of attack
A CONVICTED sex offender was found guilty of the murder of a 58year-old woman yesterday, more than 36 years after her death.
Graham McGill, 59, was on day release from prison when he strangled motherof-11 Mary McLaughlin in her Glasgow home in September 1984.
He was finally brought to justice following several cold case inquiries and a breakthrough by forensic scientists.
Miss McLaughlin’s body was found six days after her death by her son Martin Cullen when he called at her flat in Partick.
She was on her back on her bed, wearing a green dress and with the ligature tightly wound round her neck three times.
A major murder investigation was launched, but no one was charged.
Over the years, police and scientists battled to find the killer and a number of cold case probes were launched.
McGill was finally caught thanks to the dedication of two forensic experts, Dr Nighean Stevenson and Scottish Police Authority scientist Joanne Cochrane.
They looked at new ways to extract the killer’s DNA from the ligature.
The material had deteriorated badly over time but they discovered that although one of the two knots on the cord had been untied and tested, the other had not been touched.
When the fabric inside the knot was tested the scientists found the victim’s DNA – along with the DNA of McGill.
At the High Court in Glasgow, McGill was convicted of assaulting Miss McLaughlin by strangling her with a ligature and murdering her on September 26 or 27, 1984.
Judge Lord Burns told McGill: ‘I have to pronounce a sentence of life imprisonment and will do so in due course.’
He told the jurors: ‘It has been a distressing and difficult case.’
McGill, from Glasgow, will be sentenced on May 18 at the High Court in Aberdeen, when he will be told how long he must serve before being eligible for parole.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, revealed that at the time of Miss McLaughlin’s murder McGill, who worked as a fabricator, was out on day release from prison where he was serving six years for assault with intent to ravish and rape.
He said: ‘It was during parole liberation that he carried out the murder of Mary McLaughlin. He was 22 at the time.’
Members of Miss McLaughlin’s family have written letters to the court expressing their grief.
Mr Prentice said: ‘The pain and sense of loss suffered by them has been prolonged.’
The prosecutor told the court that McGill was also jailed for life in 1999 for a brutal assault with intent to ravish and was out on licence from that when he was arrested and charged with Miss McLaughlin’s murder on December 4, 2019.
McGill had boasted of the killing to his ex-wife Suzanne Russell in 1988, saying he had just wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone and said he was shocked how long it took to actually murder Miss McLaughlin.
As he was led away in handcuffs yesterday, McGill showed no emotion. He gave no evidence but denied he was the killer.
Mr Cullen, 60, was asked ‘Justice?’ as he left the High Court in Glasgow following the verdict. He replied: ‘Yes.’ He was then asked if he was relieved and he again replied: ‘Yes,’ before giving a thumbs-up.
Police Scotland Detective Superintendent Suzanne Chow said: ‘Mary’s family has waited a long time for justice, and I hope today’s verdict provides some form of resolution for them.
‘It is fitting to know that despite the passage of time, justice has finally been served.’
Miss Cochrane said: ‘The SPA Forensic Services Cold Case Review Team carried out a full forensic review of this case which identified a number of items for further DNA analysis using the very latest technologies available.
‘This analysis resulted in finding DNA attributable to Graham McGill on several items.’
‘A distressing and difficult case’