Man convicted of hammer killings

McLeish told the jury he had acted in self defence

A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman with a claw hammer and the culpable homicide of her nephew at a flat in Glasgow.

Gerald McLeish, 21, killed Bernadette Johnstone, 39, and her 25-year-old nephew John Park.

McLeish had told his trial he had acted in self defence and was fighting for his life during the incident.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow found him not guilty of raping Mrs Johnstone. Sentence was deferred.

The court had been told Mrs Johnstone and Mr Park suffered horrific injuries to their faces, skulls and bodies after being repeatedly hit with a hammer.

Evidence pointed to McLeish using the claw end of the hammer to tear Mr Park's face open before he battered mother-of-two Mrs Johnstone with the same weapon.

House-warming drink

McLeish, of Lamlash Crescent, Cranhill, was found guilty of both killings by majority verdicts.

He had lodged special defences of self defence to the two murder charges and of consent to the rape allegation.

The killings took place in Mr Park's flat at Longstone Place, Cranhill, on 30 or 31 August last year, the court heard

Mr Park had invited McLeish, a relative stranger, up to his newly decorated flat for a house-warming drink.

He introduced McLeish to Mrs Johnstone, of Fastnet Street, also Cranhill.

The bodies of Mrs Johnstone and Mr Park were found close together

McLeish alleged that while Mr Park was in the kitchen, Mrs Johnstone took him into the bedroom where they had sex.

The accused said that when Mr Park discovered what had happened, he was furious and hit him with a hammer.

A struggle followed and McLeish claimed he fought for his life, disarming Mr Park and using the hammer to ward him and Mrs Johnstone off.

However, the prosecution said Mr Park was bludgeoned to death at his front door as he tried to escape.

After killing Mr Park, McLeish then used the hammer on Mrs Johnstone.

The court heard evidence that McLeish later phoned police to ask them to let him out of Mr Park's flat, claiming he had been locked in alone.

When a joiner opened the door while accompanied by two policemen, McLeish ran away. He was arrested after a chase.

'Loving mother'

Mrs Johnstone's body was found concealed under a settee in the blood-splattered flat.

Police forensic experts were unaware for more than two-and-a-half hours that Mr Park's body was only 2ft away. It was discovered when they lifted up a bed and found him underneath.

Speaking outside the court, Mr Park's sister, Margaret Park, 30, said she was angry that McLeish had been cleared of murdering her brother and raping her aunt, whom she had described as a "happy, loving mother".

She added: "We have now got to tell two boys what happened to their mother. They are only 13 and 14 but we have to tell them."

Her father, John Park Snr, condemned McLeish for assassinating the characters of the victims.

"He is nothing but scum and a beast," he said. "The jury saw the pictures of the bodies. They were butchered."

The judge, Lord Hardie, called for reports on McLeish before he is sentenced later this month.