The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Killer’s ‘hit’ claim charges dropped
CROWN WON’T PURSUE KEAN’S EXTORTION ALLEGATION
PROSECUTORS HAVE dropped charges against a man accused of extorting £11,000 from one of the most notorious killers in Perthshire’s recent history.
William Kean had allegedly paid to protect his family from a “gangland hit” following his incarceration for the “brutal and savage” killing of pensioner Jenny Methven.
Jailed for a minimum of 22 years in August 2012, the Blairgowrie businessman claimed that he had been preyed on behind bars by fellow prisoner Robert Watson.
The story followed Kean’s bid to blame his victim’s son — and close friend — David Methven for her death and his appeal against his conviction was subsequently abandoned.
Kean was said to have been told that a contract had been taken out on himself, his wife and another family member that would “result in their serious injury or death”.
The death of 80-year-old Mrs Methven shocked the country and sparked one of the largest investigations Tayside has ever seen.
Her body was discovered by her son at her home at Kildinny Cottage, Forteviot, on February 20 2012.
She had been hit over the head at least 11 times with such ferocity that her skull was fractured from one side to the other, while Kean also broke both her forearms.
AS THE manhunt for the killer gathered pace, 80 police officers and specialists were assigned to the inquiry and every police force in Scotland offered assistance.
The quest for a resolution even included a call to crime experts with links to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.
Having been caught and then sentenced to life imprisonment, it was behind bars that Kean was said to have met Robert Watson, then 52, who told him of the “contract”.
He was alleged to have offered to act as an intermediary between Kean and two other people, named as George Thompson and Jade Johnson, although he “knew full well” that the information was false and no such threats or any danger to the Kean family’s lives existed.
Prosecutors alleged that Watson, from Dundee, gave Kean the information to “menace” him and “put him in a state of fear and alarm” between March 1 and May 23 last year.
Watson appeared at Perth Sheriff Court to face the charges but always denied any involvement, and the Crown has now decided the case will be dropped.
A spokesman told The Courier: “It is the duty of the Crown to keep cases under review.
“After full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case currently available to the Crown, including the available admissible evidence, Crown counsel have instructed that there should be no proceedings at this stage.
“The Crown specifically reserves the right to prosecute, should the evidential position change.”