Sentencing of woman who killed care worker delayed for medical report

The sentencing of a woman who stabbed a care worker to death has been postponed to allow a psychiatric report to be drawn up, a court has heard.

Kellyanne McNaughton, 33, admitted killing Michele Rutherford, 54, at supported accommodation last year.

McNaughton stabbed Ms Rutherford repeatedly during the attack at Craighall Court, Stirling, on March 7, 2023.

She was arrested on the same day.

Ms Rutherford was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow but could not be saved.

McNaughton was originally charged with murder but prosecutors accepted a plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

She pleaded guilty on January 8 and was due to be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday but it was postponed to allow time for an additional medical report to be drawn up.

Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy KC told the court: “Sentencing has been deferred on a number of occasions in order that various reports could be gathered in relation to the accused’s mental state.

“One such report became available late yesterday and it makes specific recommendations in relation to this case.

“Before these recommendations could be followed, a second report is required.”

She told the court the doctor who will compile this second report is currently unavailable, but “he will be able to do so upon his return”.

She asked for sentencing to be delayed to June 3 to allow time for the additional report to be made available to the court.

She added: “Hopefully at that stage the court will have all the information available to it to allow the sentencing to take place.”

Judge Lord Armstrong granted the request for an adjournment, and fixed the date of the sentencing hearing for June 3 at the High Court in Glasgow.

Sentencing had originally been scheduled for March, but it faced a number of delays as a suitable secure hospital could not be found to accommodate McNaughton.

Speaking following the conviction in January, Detective Inspector Scott Roxburgh said: “Michele Rutherford lost her life in tragic circumstances while at work caring for others.

“We know her loss has had a lasting impact on a great many people and, of course, in particular her family.

“Nothing can change what happened but I hope that this conviction can provide some degree of closure.”