Sex predator sentenced to 18 years for rape and murder of woman in her home

A SEX predator has been jailed for at least 18 years for the rape and murder of a mother in her home.

David Hose, 30, preyed on vulnerable Kirsty Robertson at her property in Ayr, South Ayrshire, in the early hours of October 20, 2019.

The 29-year-old was discovered that morning lying naked on a couch by neighbours.

Hose was yesterday sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow. He was found guilty last month of the rape and murder of Ms Robertson.

Prosecutors stated Hose pressed Ms Robertson’s neck, forced her head on to a couch which left her face down and causing her breathing to be restricted. Judge Simon Collins QC jailed Hose for life.

He told him: “You assaulted and raped Kirsty Robertson in the living room of her home while she was intoxicated with alcohol. If that was not appalling enough, her children have suffered the loss of their mother.”

Hose had been separately convicted of raping a second woman at another house in Ayr in June 2017. Judge Collins sentenced him to five years for that attack to run concurrently to the 18 years.

Hose and Ms Robertson had been drinking with friend Shona Harbison, 36, the night before the murder.

Ms Harbison stated Ms

Robertson was “passed out” on the sofa when she left the house at 1.30am. Ms Harbison was woken up by Hose later that day at her house. The witness told jurors: “He told me that Kirsty was dead and I did not believe him.

“I was trying to take it in and understand, as I saw her a couple of hours ago and she was fine.”

Jurors were shown a text message sent by Hose on the morning of her death to Ms Robertson’s friend, Stephanie King, 27.

Hose wrote: “When I left this morning, I thought she was sleeping but maybe she was dead, I don’t know.” The killer later said to her: “I don’t know what the f*** happened after I left, I wish I was there.”

Pathologist Dr Julie Mcadam marked the cause of death as “unascertained”. Prosecutors said Hose took advantage of the mother who was described as “incapable of giving consent”.

Hose was also charged with the rape of a third woman between June and December 2018 in Ayr, but jurors returned a not proven verdict on that allegation.