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Friday, 31 March 2006, 10:30 GMT 11:30 UK

Farah murder teenager gets life

Thomas Waddell A teenager who raped and murdered a young mother as she power-walked along a Glasgow riverbank has been given a life sentence.

Thomas Waddell, 19, was told he must serve a minimum of 16 years before he can apply for parole.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to killing Farah Noor Adams, 34, on the River Kelvin walkway last October.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard her family, including her eight-year-old daughter, had been left devastated.

Car wash attendant Waddell, of Shiskine Drive, Maryhill, put Ms Noor Adams through an ordeal which lasted up to 30 minutes, which began shortly after she had dropped her daughter at school.

"Her family are devastated by her murder and the manner of it"
Michael Meehan
Advocate depute

Family 'face life sentence'

Police offer reassurance

He smashed her face with a brick several times and raped her twice.

As she pleaded with him to let her go he strangled her with both hands.

Sentencing him, the judge Lord Macphail described the attack as "a hideous crime" which had left his Farah's family devastated, while Waddell had showed no remorse.

"You followed her. You attacked her in the most brutal way. You inflicted severe injuries on her.

"You subjected her to the most painful and degrading sexual ordeal and then you strangled her," he said.

SENTENCING STATEMENT

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Lord Macphail stressed that after serving 16 years Waddell would not be released if it was thought that he was still a danger to the public.

The judge also told him that if he had not admitted his crimes the minimum sentence would have been 19 years.

The court heard a statement from advocate depute Michael Meehan detailing the grief of Ms Noor Adams' family.

"Her family are devastated by her murder and the manner of it," Mr Meehan said.

"They feel they will never come to terms with it. They are heartbroken for their own loss - a daughter losing her mother, parents losing a child, a brother losing his sister."

He added: "They miss her terribly."

Farah Adams, courtesy of Strathclyde Police

Defence QC Donald Findlay said that Waddell, abused by a bullying father, had "no start in life" and had been found to have a "borderline personality disorder".

He was unable to control his impulses and what had happened on the walkway was "a behavioural explosion", Mr Findlay said.

He added that Waddell had been affected by what he had done but found it difficult to express himself.

Strathclyde Police said the murder of Ms Noor Adams was "an absolute tragedy".

A statement said that high visibility policing had been introduced around the Kelvin Walkway and canal tow paths in an effort to reassure the public and reduce their fear of crime.



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Related to this story:
Teen admits Farah rape and murder (06 Feb 06 |  Scotland )
Murdered woman had made 999 calls (16 Nov 05 |  Scotland )
Hundreds attend woman's funeral (14 Oct 05 |  Scotland )
Police hold man over Farah death (11 Oct 05 |  Scotland )

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