Esther Brown: Man jailed for 19 years for rape and murder of pensioner

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

A man has been jailed for at least 19 years for the rape and murder of a pensioner found dead in her home.

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

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

The judge, Lord Armstrong, told Graham he had committed the "gravest of crimes".

Ms Brown, who lived alone, was missing for four days before her body was found on 1 June.

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

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

Sentencing Graham at the High Court in Livingston, Lord Armstrong said the murder involved "the most depraved actions on your part, characterised by utter brutality" and "excessive, sustained violence" directed against Ms Brown.

He detailed her extensive injuries and said the post mortem suggested she fought for her life.

Lord Armstrong said a victim impact statement by Ms Brown's cousin, her next of kin, highlighted the devastation caused by Graham's actions.

He added: "You have caused her significant emotional harm, the lasting effect of which may be incalculable."

The judge also paid tribute to Ms Brown, whom he said had life a "fulfilling and rewarding life dedicated to helping others".

She was described by those who met her as an "exceptionally kind, compassionate and caring person" who was active in her local church. The retired librarian also volunteered in a local café and helped refugees to settle in the city.

Speaking outside the court, friend Helen Moran recalled how Ms Brown helped prepare meals for the local community.

She said: "She was the type of person that would go and help anybody. She did not judge. She was there to help. She was a walking angel."

Friend Sharon McKay said Ms Brown had a "huge impact" on the community, which was left shattered by the brutality of her murder.

She also said there was a lot of anger that Graham was released early from his previous prison sentence.

• Man charged with rape and murder of pensioner

Graham, who had 23 previous convictions, 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.

Last month prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told the High Court in Glasgow it was presumed that Graham knocked on the door of Ms Brown's flat and gained entry.

He said Graham subjected her to a "sustained attack" repeatedly punching, kicking and stamping on her head and body. He also struck her with pieces of wood from a broken chair.

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

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.

He said Graham 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.