Man admits rape and murder of Glasgow pensioner

Murder victim Esther Brown was described as "exceptionally kind, passionate and caring" in court

A man has pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of a pensioner who was found dead in her Glasgow home.

Jason Graham punched, kicked and stamped on Esther Brown, 67, during the violent attack in her flat in May.

Graham, 30, was being monitored by police as a registered sex offender at the time, after his released from jail for raping a woman in 2013.

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Armstrong said he was guilty of "utter brutality and sustained violence".

Ms Brown was described as a "much loved and active member of the community" and was devoted to her local church.

She lived alone and had a "fulfilling and rewarding life dedicated to helping others."

She was missing for four days before she was found on 1 June. DNA led to Graham's arrest.

Jason Graham used Esther Brown's bank card to buy cigarettes on the night the 67-year-old was killed

CCTV footage showed Graham, who was not known to Ms Brown, going into her block of flats in Glasgow's Woodlands area.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told the court: "It is presumed Graham knocked on the door of Esther's flat and gained entry.

"He subjected her to a sustained attack, repeatedly punching, kicking and stamping on her head and body.

"He repeatedly struck her on the body with pieces of wood which came from a chair broken during the attack."

After the murder, Graham bought a packet of cigarettes using Ms Brown's bank card.

'Gravest of crimes'

Defence lawyer Brian McConnachie QC said Graham had "no recollection" of the attack, but had "insight" into the impact Ms Brown's death has had on the community.

He said the accused was on medication for post-traumatic stress disorder in relation to a "traumatic childhood event" and that he had consumed a substantial amount of alcohol on the night of the murder.

Addressing Graham in court, judge Lord Armstrong said: "You now stand convicted of the gravest of crimes involving the most depraved actions on your part, characterised by utter brutality, extreme and sustained violence against a defenceless woman in her own home."

He deferred sentence until 12 November for reports, including on Graham's psychiatric history.

Graham was being managed in the community after his released from prison on licence in 2018. He had been jailed for seven and a half years for raping a retired nurse in 2013.

Ms Brown was a volunteer at a community regeneration project in the Woodlands area of Glasgow

Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, said the circumstances surrounding Graham's monitoring would "shake people's faith" in the justice system.

She said: "I think it has been a really awful few months in terms of the news around crimes of violence against women.

"[Graham] was subject to multi-agency monitoring arrangements through the systems that were in place but clearly, something went seriously wrong and he was able to carry out this offence.

"I really do think that if women are to have confidence in the justice response to crimes of this nature, real lessons need to be learned here - particularly Police Scotland in terms of the monitoring arrangements. "

Det Sup Suzie Chow, of Police Scotland's major investigation teams, said Graham would now have to face the consequences of his actions.

She told BBC Scotland: "I'd just like to reassure the public that this type of crime doesn't happy very often, thankfully, and our quick responses managed to arrest and ensure Mr Graham was within jail very quickly. There's no place in society for this type of crime."

She added: "This was a brutal attack and one that left Esther's family and the community absolutely devastated.

"The response from the local community in the aftermath of Esther's murder really demonstrated how loved and respected she was and I would like to thank them for their support, which was invaluable to the inquiry team.