Man convicted of murdering wife in hammer attack
- Published
Peter Maher faces a life sentence
A man has been convicted of murdering his wife of 30 years with a hammer at their home in Glasgow.
Peter Maher delivered at least 11 blows to Jeanna Maher in their Drumchapel home in September 2018.
A jury heard how two of their sons discovered the 51-year-old's body in her bedroom.
Maher was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. He faces a life sentence when the case calls again on Wednesday.
The trial was mainly held in his absence due to his disruptive behaviour in court.
Maher had denied the killing and said he did not know who the culprit was.
The court heard how the 61-year-old had a history of abusive behaviour towards the mother-of-three.
Mrs Maher's sister Margaret McCandless said: "He would put her down constantly. He would tell her to sit down, shut up in front of people.
"She could not voice an opinion. She was not allowed to go out, she was stupid, too old....] do not do this, do not do that."
Jeanna Maher was found dead in her house in Dewar Drive, Drumchapel
Ms Maher worked three different jobs and was known as "Mrs Asda" for the long hours she put in at the Bearsden branch.
Her husband had once failed to get a job at the supermarket his wife worked in and, days later, she came into work badly hurt.
Colleague Angela McShane recalled: "Her eye was really black. I said: 'What happened?'.
"She said she had asked Peter for the remote, he had thrown it and hit her in the face."
The witness also spoke of Mrs Maher later having marks on her arms, but claimed she had done it while working in a chip shop.
Her son Stephen, 35, recalled discovering his mother's body after returning home from work with his younger brother Richard.
Maher answered the door when they arrived, but Stephen told prosecutors that his father seemed the "same as any normal day."
Stephen said he went upstairs and saw his parents' room was an "absolute bombsite" with "everything everywhere".
He recalled shouting downstairs asking where his mother was.
His brother Richard also went into the room and pulled back the bed covers before letting out a "gasp" or "scream" upon finding his mum lying there.
Prosecutor Steven Borthwick KC asked Stephen: "What condition was she in?"
He told jurors: "Really bad. She was covered in blood. The top part of her skull was missing.
"Her hands were tied up, her feet were tied up."
Stephen believed Mrs Maher's hands were bound with a neck tie and possibly a wire for her feet.
He immediately dialled 999 and was told to try CPR, but he told prosecutors it would not have had any effect.
Trauma to the head
Maher later claimed to police he had been out that afternoon walking their dog.
He stated he "did not know who was responsible" and "did not know anyone that would harm his wife".
Pathologist Marjorie Turner concluded Mrs Maher died from blunt force trauma to the head.
In a post-mortem report, Dr Turner noted her head injury was "indicative of multiple blows with a heavy blunt object... at least 11 to the scalp alone, but probably many more."
Det Supt Scott McCallum, from Police Scotland's major investigation team, said: "Jeanna was a much loved mother to her three sons and her extended family.
"She was an incredibly popular member of the community, with many friends.
"It has been a very difficult time for all of them, and although today's verdict won't change what happened, I hope this outcome will help bring Jeanna's family some closure.
"This was a brutal attack on a woman who should have been safe in her own home and Peter Maher will now have to face the consequences for his actions."
Maher first appeared in court in 2018, but the following year he was assessed as unfit to stand trial.
Prosecutors later raised proceedings against him once again and Maher went on trial in April 2022.
The case was halted again after Maher sacked his then lawyers. The latest trial began in late January.
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