Daughter guilty of killing mother

Lisa Brown and John Wilson were found guilty of killing Anne Brown Chilling betrayal of a family bond

A woman and her boyfriend have been found guilty of killing her mother and dumping her body in a burn.

Anne Brown's body was recovered from Clerkland Burn in Ayrshire last October. The 51-year-old had been beaten to death.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Lisa Brown was found guilty of murder and John Wilson was found guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

Judge Lord Matthews said they had been convicted of an "appalling crime".

He warned Lisa Brown, 21, she would be going to prison for a long time.

The trial heard that the couple travelled to Anne Brown's home in Burnhouse because of a dispute over Lisa Brown's son, who her mother cared for.

Brown then battered her mother with a blunt object, thought to have been a foot-long torch, inflicting 49 injuries on her mother's face and neck.

We feel it is reprehensible that neither of the accused in this tragic case has expressed any remorse for their part in this heinous crime Michael Elliot Anne Brown's brother

In court Wilson admitted helping his girlfriend put the body into a sleeping bag and a builder's sack, which they tied up with twine and a chain.

They then drove to Clerkland Burn, with the 20-month-old toddler in the car, and dumped the body.

After the verdict Anne Brown's brother Michael Elliot issued a statement on behalf of the family.

He said: "I would like to place on record my disgust at the image portrayed of my sister Anne in court which I neither acknowledge nor recognise.

Advertisement

BBC Scotland's Andrew Anderson reports on the background to the case

"Our abiding memory of Anne is of a warm, loving and giving person who would always help anyone in distress, sometimes to her own detriment.

"She was a loving daughter, sister and mother who gave selflessly of herself to those close to her."

He added: "We will miss her terribly and feel no sentence can be adequate to compensate us for her loss.

Police found Mrs Brown's body during searches in Ayrshire

"We feel it is reprehensible that neither of the accused in this tragic case has expressed any remorse for their part in this heinous crime.

"Neither has either of the accused shown any recognition of the impact the tissue of lies that has been offered to defend the indefensible has had on our family."

The couple had both been charged with the murder of Anne Brown and had both lodged special defences, blaming each other.

Geri Watt, area procurator fiscal for Ayrshire, said: "This was a particularly callous murder.

"There were no eye witnesses to the crime and both accused continually denied responsibility.

"However they have been brought to justice as a result of police and prosecutors working effectively together."

Reported missing

Anne Brown's mother reported her, and her 20 month-old grandson, missing on 22nd October 2008.

The toddler was traced safe and well to Lisa Brown and John Wilson's flat in Maryhill in Glasgow days later.

When a car found abandoned near Connaught Farm in Ayrshire was linked to Anne Brown's disappearance the police search was scaled up.

Anne Brown's car was found blocking a road near Connaught Farm

Her body was recovered from Clerkland Burn on 24 October.

Det Ch Insp Peter McPike from Strathclyde Police led the police investigation into Anne Brown's disappearance and murder.

He said: "Hopefully today's verdict will go some way to helping Anne Brown's mother and brother put the horror of the last nine months behind them.

"It is very difficult to imagine the anger they must be feeling, especially given that it was a member of their own family that was responsible for Anne's death.

"This crime shocked the entire community."