Monster who beat his own grandmother to death jailed for 15 years
A DRUNKEN thug who murdered his 84-year-old grandmother has been jailed for life.
Scott McCulloch, 26, repeatedly punched Patricia Bitters and stamped on her as she lay bleeding in her home.
The frail pensioner suffered broken ribs and head and neck injuries that led to haemorrhaging, resulting in her death six days later in hospital.
She was heard shouting for help and pleading for McCulloch to stop before going silent after the attack in Forres, Moray.
At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday judge Lord Beckett told him that he must serve at least 15 years before being considered for release.
He said: ‘After drinking heavily on August 28 last year you inflicted sustained, brutal violence causing appalling injuries, which inevitably proved fatal after some days in hospital.
‘She had given you a home and was entitled to expect your protection and support in return.’
McCulloch admitted murdering Mrs Bitters, who died at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, on September 3 last year.
After the attack he told a neighbour: ‘She kept on and on and on at me. I told her I was going to commit suicide and she said, “What’s stopping you?”.’
The court heard former barmaid Mrs Bitters, who stood 4ft 9in and weighed about seven-and-a-half stone, had 13 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Advocate depute Nicola Gilchrist said: ‘Over the years Mrs Bitters’s health deteriorated leading to mobility issues. Due to these issues she preferred to stay within her home.
‘Scott McCulloch provided care to his grandmother, assisting her with day-to-day living, shopping and medical appointments.’
She said that on the day of the deadly attack McCulloch – who has a previous conviction for assault with a bottle – visited a neighbour to mow his lawn.
He took a six-pack of cider with him and, at one stage, was seen lying on a dog’s mattress at the back door and appeared to be about to fall asleep. He was asked to leave and a friend walked him back to the home he shared with his grandmother.
Later that evening another neighbour heard a disturbance at Mrs Bitters’s bungalow. She heard a male shouting and a woman screaming ‘Help, help, stop, stop, no’ before the female fell silent.
Neighbours found McCulloch on the pavement and he said: ‘I have killed my granny. I have killed my granny. I didn’t mean to do it.’
Emergency services were contacted. Mrs Bitters was found lying still with blood coming from her mouth. She opened her eyes and confirmed she was assaulted by her grandson.
She was asked why and said: ‘I don’t know. He lost it.’
When police arrived at the scene they noted McCulloch was heavily intoxicated – staggering about and slurring his words. A blood test 12 hours after he was arrested found he was almost three times the drink-driving limit.
Procurator fiscal David Green, who leads homicide prosecutions for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said McCulloch ‘subjected his elderly grandmother to an appallingly violent assault.
‘He murdered a woman who trusted him and relied upon him for her care,’ he added.
‘His actions have had a devastating effect on the family.’
‘Inflicted sustained, brutal violence’