Last rites killer faces life term

The body was discovered at a guest house in Edinburgh

A man who murdered a former oil worker in the capital and then performed the last rites on his dead body is facing a life sentence.

Leslie Moohan, 24, strangled David Redpath with belts and carved his forehead with a razor during the attack at an Edinburgh homeless hostel.

The offence was committed at Harrison Road on 1 February.

Moohan admitted murdering Mr Redpath, who is from Peterhead. Sentence was deferred until later this month.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Moohan's "besotted" lover Diane Armstrong, 25, admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice by pretending she had found a body under a bed and telling police she believed the dead man was Moohan.

Eventually she admitted Moohan had told her on the night of the murder that there was a body under his bed.

David had a wonderful sense of humour and was popular and sociable. Statement from David Redpath's family

Solicitor advocate Jim Keegan, defending Armstrong, said she was "besotted" and "overwhelmed" by Moohan at the time.

The lawyer said she had now "come to her senses" and would have been a witness against Moohan had there been a trial.

Moohan covered Mr Redpath with a sheet and left his body under the bed.

Moohan then went to his father's grave to beg forgiveness before returning to the murder scene the next day believing he had dreamt Mr Redpath's death.

The 39-year-old was a married father-of-two who previously worked in the oil industry, based in Nigeria.

Mr Redpath, the son of an accountant, developed an alcohol problem and separated from his wife, but remained in close contact with her and his family.

'Future plans'

He became homeless, but had begun to turn his life around and was in the second year of a computing course in Dalkeith at the time of his death.

It was when he moved into the hostel in Harrison Road, Edinburgh, that he met Moohan - a serial petty criminal and drug addict.

On 1 February, Moohan flipped after believing Mr Redpath was taunting him as they chatted.

Moohan was arrested at his sister's home after he had gone to his father's grave praying for forgiveness.

In a statement after the murder, the family said: "David had a wonderful sense of humour and was popular and sociable.

"He had made a lot of plans for the future and was looking forward to completing his studies."

Moohan's solicitor advocate, John Keenan, said his client was sorry for what had done.

Judge Lord MacKay of Drumadoon deferred sentence on both accused until later this month for reports.