Man convicted of body-bags murder

Ian Sutherland blamed his girlfriend for the killing

A man has been jailed for life for murdering a friend, cutting up his body and disposing of it in bin bags.

Ian Sutherland, 33, was ordered to serve 15 years before being considered for parole, with a further five years for dismembering the body.

He had blamed his then girlfriend for murdering Alan Wilson, 51, in February, but was found guilty after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The dismembered corpse was found in a garden in the city's Merchiston Avenue.

Mr Wilson's legs and arms had been sawn from his body and the head had been partially removed from the torso.

Alan Wilson's remains were found in bin bags in a garden

Passing sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Dawson said: "No words of mine can bring Alan Wilson back to life and no words of mine can adequately express the public's revulsion at your behaviour.

"All I can do is reflect that revulsion by imposing the only sentence which the law allows."

After the verdict, advocate depute Keith Stewart told the court that Sutherland and his victim had struck up a friendship in Saughton Prison.

Sutherland was serving seven years for raping a prostitute, while Wilson was in jail for sexually abusing teenage boys.

The murder was committed while Sutherland was on release pending an appeal against his rape conviction.

Confessed to murder

Sutherland had lodged a special defence, blaming 31-year-old Tracy Scott for the murder.

However, she told the trial that Sutherland confessed to murdering his friend and then showed her the body before disposing of it.

The Crown had argued that Sutherland killed his friend after Mr Wilson made "one too many advances".

Mr Wilson's remains were found in bin bags

During the two-and-a-half week trial, the prosecution argued that the "erotic atmosphere" between Wilson and the younger man led to the murder.

Mr Wilson was "besotted" with Sutherland, who once lived at his home in Royal Mile Mansions, it was claimed.

On the night in question, Mr Wilson attempted to come on to Sutherland, waking him and putting his hands all over his body, after the pair had been drinking heavily following a Sunday lunch together.

"On this final tragic occasion, Ian Sutherland snapped and murdered Alan Wilson," Mr Stewart said.

He compared the case to a detective story by Edinburgh crime writers Ian Rankin or Quentin Jardine but told the jury that there was no mystery; it was clear that Sutherland was the murderer.

Lied 'for lover'

Defence counsel Donald Findlay QC claimed that Ms Scott had even confessed - in an unguarded moment - to strangling Mr Wilson.

He said Sutherland had ended up in the dock because he had lied to try to protect his lover.

After the verdict Mr Findlay said that his client still maintained that Ms Scott was the killer.