Elderly woman’s killer was being monitored after rape sentence
A MAN has admitted the rape and murder of an elderly woman in her own home.
Jason Graham, 30, attacked Esther Brown, 67, at her flat in Woodlands, Glasgow, on Friday, May 28.
Graham repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her head and body before striking her with pieces of wood from a chair.
He also raped her and left her dead in her blood-soaked flat for four days.
Concerned friends contacted police after Ms Brown failed to attend her usual church service, community hall and pre-arranged walk in a park.
DNA evidence led to officers arresting Graham who was being monitored by police after being released from a sentence for raping a retired nurse in 2014.
Graham, of Govan, faces a life sentence after pleading guilty yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow to separate charges of murder and rape.
Judge Lord Armstrong said: “You have been convicted of the most gravest of crimes involving the most depraved actions on your part characterised by the utter brutality involving extreme and sustained violence against a defenceless woman in her own home.”
The court heard Graham was under surveillance after the release from his seven-and-a-half year sentence in June 2018.
He had earlier been kicked out of a pub on the day of the murder.
Graham, who was unknown to the deceased, found himself in the rear garden of her flat.
CCTV showed him going inside the block of flats at around 6.57pm.
Ms Brown, meantime, had been at Woodlands Community Cafe before going home at 5.30pm.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, said: “It is presumed Graham knocked on the door of Esther’s flat and gained entry.
“He subjected her to a sustained attack, repeatedly punching, kicking and stamping on her head and body.
“He repeatedly struck her on the body with pieces of wood which came from a chair broken during the attack.”
A post-mortem found Ms Brown had “extensive bruising around the entire face” as well as a fractured nose and nasal bone. She also sustained severe cuts to her mouth and bruising to several areas of her body.
There were cuts found on her hands “which could have been sustained as she attempted to ward off blows.”
Bruising was also discovered which was “consistent with sexual assault.”
Mr Prentice stated that Ms Brown’s cause of death was: “Blunt force trauma of head and chest.”
Graham was spotted on CCTV purchasing tobacco at a shop at 9.19pm on the night of the murder using Ms Brown’s bank card.
The hearing was told Graham called a relative stating that he had “robbed the flat and panicked” and that he had “done something bad.”
Graham stayed with the relative for several days until he was asked about a news article on the discovery of Ms Brown’s body.
The court heard Graham’s “eyes went wide” and he looked “shocked” before saying: “I just robbed the place, I was looking for a turn.”
Ms Brown’s friends meantime failed to hear from her as she did not attend her usual church services or community hall and cafe. Mr Prentice said: “This was entirely out of character for her.”
When she failed to turn up for a walk at Kelvingrove Park on the Sunday friends became “concerned” and attended her flat on the
Tuesday. Officers later discovered the body in the flat, which had a “clear sign of a disturbance.”
Swabs were taken from the body that were a match for Graham’s DNA. Police then went to the relative’s flat and arrested him.
On being charged he said: “That’s my reply – it’s circumstantial.”
Graham’s QC, Brian Mcconnachie, told the court that there was nothing he could say that mitigates the offences.
Ms Brown lived alone, the court heard, but had a “fulfilling and rewarding life dedicated to helping others.”
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month.
You have been convicted of the most gravest of crimes