Man jailed for rape and murder of Jill Barclay in Aberdeen

A antheral has been jailed for astatine slightest 24 years for the rape and execution of a pistillate arsenic she walked location successful Aberdeen.

Rhys Bennett, 23, admitted the crimes, which a justice described arsenic "wicked and medieval successful their barbarity".

Ms Barclay's household said she had been "a profoundly loved beingness partner, parent and daughter".

The High Court successful Edinburgh heard that Bennett did not cognize her earlier the onslaught and had met her connected a nighttime out.

Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy KC told the tribunal that she was walking location erstwhile Bennett from Ballingry, Fife, followed her.

He brutally attacked and raped her successful the grounds of an bare spot astatine Farburn Gatehouse, Dyce.

Bennett past near her severely injured astatine the country and retuned soon aft successful his van. He poured a tin of petrol connected her and acceptable her alight.

Ms Barclay, who worked for vigor services steadfast Petrofac, was recovered dormant successful the thoroughfare adjacent to the Marriot Hotel, astatine astir 03:30 connected 17 September.

Ms Glancy said forensic grounds suggested Ms Barclay had been live erstwhile she had been acceptable connected fire.

Bennett besides admitted attempting to decision the ends of justness by burning the apparel helium wore.

He said Bennet had burned his unfortunate live and described his crimes arsenic "unimaginably wicked and mediaeval successful their barbarity".

He was besides placed connected the enactment offenders registry indefinitely.

Hundreds of radical marched done the streets of Aberdeen successful November aft her murder.

They called for enactment to marque metropolis streets safer for women, with much taxis and improved thoroughfare lighting.

In a tribute astatine her funeral, her household said: "Jill lived a afloat and blessed life, packing much into her 47 years than immoderate bash successful an full lifetime.

"She was struck down successful her prime, successful an enactment of unimaginable cruelty.

"It is outrageous that a pistillate cannot locomotion location safely astatine night."

Her spouse of 20 years - who did not privation to beryllium named - described her arsenic his "soul mate, the emotion of his life".

City councillor Sandra Macdonald, a subordinate of the Aberdeen Women's Alliance, helped organise the thoroughfare information march aft Ms Barclay's death.

She told BBC Scotland: "I deliberation determination was a existent reckoning wrong the city. I bash anticipation retired of each of that determination volition travel changes truthful this ne'er happens again.

"I deliberation successful wide Aberdeen is simply a precise harmless metropolis to unrecorded in. But determination are ways we tin amended the infrastructure."

The serviceman who led the inquiry, Det Supt Andrew Patrick, said helium hoped the solution of the lawsuit would bring immoderate comfortableness to household and friends of Ms Barclay.

"Jill's senseless and brutal execution had a important interaction connected the section assemblage successful Dyce and passim the northbound east," helium said.

"Our inquiries, including CCTV analysis, rapidly led to Bennett being traced successful Fife, wherever helium was arrested and charged aboriginal that day.

"This was a peculiarly harrowing probe and it profoundly affected everyone involved. I americium gladsome that Bennett volition present look the consequences of his depraved and wicked actions."