A dementia sufferer charged with murdering his woman was arrested aft helium alerted his neighbours to a assemblage successful the kitchen.
John Pryde, 77, was said to beryllium ‘calm but confused’ erstwhile constabulary arrived astatine his location and recovered his woman Kate successful a excavation of blood.
The High Court successful Dundee heard John Pryde – besides known arsenic Ian – did not look to cognize that the lifeless assemblage belonged to his 74-year-old partner.
PC Robin Gibb, 26, said she arrived astatine the location successful the colony of Fishcross, Clackmannanshire, and recovered Kate Pryde’s assemblage with an evident terrible caput wound.
She told the court: ‘Straight distant I noticed humor connected the walls. I went done to the room and recovered Kate. She was connected the room level adjacent to the oven.
Kate Pryde (pictured) was recovered successful a excavation of her ain blood
She and her hubby lived successful the colony of Fishcross, Clackmannanshire (pictured)
The lawsuit is being heard successful the High Court successful Dundee (pictured)
‘She was intelligibly deceased with extended injuries to her caput and body. Given the grade of the injuries, I went to cheque determination was nary 1 other successful the house.
‘I went to the surviving country and saw Ian. He was calm but confused. He was not truly definite what was going on.
‘Given the grade of the injuries successful the country adjacent door, helium was precise calm successful that situation, similar thing had happened.
‘He was saying to maine helium wasn’t definite who was lying successful the room and the neighbour said, “It’s Kate”. He kept saying, “Is it my Kate?” He was truly confused. He said determination was idiosyncratic successful his room but helium didn’t cognize who it was.
‘He was not tearful oregon anything. He said helium was disquieted that if it turned retired that helium had done that, helium would get successful trouble.’
Pryde was not contiguous successful tribunal arsenic the dementia sufferer is successful the State Hospital astatine Carstairs aft being deemed unfit to basal proceedings astatine an earlier hearing.
He was charged with his wife’s execution successful March past year.
An introspection of facts – which takes spot without a assemblage – is being held alternatively of a trial, earlier Lord Arthurson.
Forensic biologist Kirsty McTurk, 45, told the tribunal humor was recovered connected apparel taken from Pryde aft his arrest. She said it was ‘one cardinal times much likely’ the humor was Mrs Pryde’s but it could person go contiguous by her hubby kneeling successful it.
Ms McTurk said it could besides person got onto his apparel during an assault, but was incapable to suggest 1 script being much apt than the other.
She said humor clotting showed it was apt Mrs Pryde had been sitting bleeding successful a seat and efforts had been made to cleanable it up.
Relatives told the tribunal Pryde had been diagnosed with dementia immoderate clip earlier and had go worse successful the run-up to his wife’s decease successful March 2023.
He was described successful tribunal arsenic a ‘gentle soul’ with an involvement successful walking, skiing and collecting cacti and had retired arsenic a draughtsman immoderate years earlier.
Detective Sergeant Ross Duthie, 49, interviewed Pryde and said: ‘I formed the sentiment helium was perfectly unaware of everything that was going on.’
Pryde is accused of sidesplitting his woman by inflicting blunt unit trauma to her head, cervix and body. He is besides alleged to person tried to decision the ends of justness by trying to lavation humor from apparel and floors.
The introspection of facts continues.
English (US) ·