Man stabbed partner and 'much-loved' mum-of-two 27 times

A man has admitted murdering his girlfriend, who was found with 27 stab wounds at their home.

Corey Dryden, 31, made the admission during a mental health assessment following the death of his partner Megan Hughes, on February 7 this year.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Dryden stabbed the mother-of-two 27 times during an assault at their home on Windram Road, Chirnside, in Berwickshire.

The court heard how police arrested him soon after the deadly assault and took him into custody.

Prosecutor Tracey Brown told Judge Lord Harrower that Dryden told police officers that he couldn’t remember what he had done.

The court also heard how he started weeping during the police interview. He also told detectives: “I did really love her, you know”.

Ms Brown told the court that officers had Dryden assessed by mental health professionals whilst he was in detention.

Corey Dryden pleaded guilty to the murder at Edinburgh High Court Police Scotland

She added: “During a mental health assessment, which was being carried out by a nurse, the offender was asked how he would manage if he was released.

“He was asked how he would access services if he were released on bail.

“The offender replied, ‘with all due respect, I’m not getting released’ and also said “that’s unlikely cause I’m going to plead guilty ‘cos I hacked my girlfriend to death’.”

The story emerged after Dryden, also of Chirnside, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Hughes by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a knife.

The charge also contained details of how Dryden repeatedly struck his partner on the head and body with a hammer “or a similar object” during the attack.

On Friday, Ms Brown told the court that the pair had got together in February 2024 but they had known each other since childhood.

Ms Hughes, who was also 31, had two children from a previous relationship, and they started living with each other in July 2024.

The court heard how Dryden was fined £300 in December 2024 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on a charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.

On that occasion, Dryden admitted to an incident in a pub close to their home in which he shouted and swore at Ms Hughes.

The court heard that on the day before Dryden murdered his partner, he sent text messages to friends and loved ones.

Ms Brown told the court that these messages showed that Dryden was “struggling to manage his emotions within the context of the relationship”.

The court heard that a text sent to a friend read: “’I’m gonna do time wish I was single.”

Another read: ”Tryin’ not to go mental speak soon bro’.”

Ms Brown said that at approximately 2.15am on February 9, a neighbour of the couple was awoken by loud banging coming from their home.

Ms Brown added: “The neighbour then heard the deceased repeatedly shout, ‘please help me’.

“She also heard the deceased scream, and the accused say, ‘shut up’.

“The neighbour was about to call 999, but things then quietened down.”

The court heard that just after 4.30am, Dryden phoned 999. The offender spoke to a police officer during the call and said that his partner had stabbed herself after she had attacked him with a hammer.

Ms Brown added: “He said that he had defended himself but had then blacked out.

“He said that the attack had occurred about an hour and a half before.

“He requested that an ambulance attend, but informed the police officer that the deceased was dead. He sounded under the influence with slurred speech.”

Police then turned up at their home. Officers who responded found Ms Hughes lying on the floor of an upstairs bedroom.

She had a large kitchen knife in her right hand, which was raised above her head.

The court heard how officers started doing CPR, but paramedics later pronounced her dead.

He was later taken to St Leonard’s police station in Edinburgh and was interviewed by police.

Ms Brown told the court: “During the interview, the offender spoke freely throughout. He stated that in the past three months, the offender and the deceased’s relationship had not been good. He explained that she hated him and that they argued every day.

”He said that on the night of the murder, they had each drunk approximately a bottle and a half of wine. The offender said that he was taking pain killers for his leg and that he had also recently had valium that had not been prescribed by a doctor.

“The offender stated that they had been within the bedroom and that the deceased had been wearing a bra and pants.

“He explained that they had argued when he had called her a ‘lazy s**t’.

“He claimed that she had swung a hammer at him, which he had blocked with his crutch; that he had disarmed the deceased of the hammer and had struck her on the head with it.

“The offender said that he did not know how many times he had struck the deceased with the hammer.”

Ms Brown also said he made other admissions during the interview.

She added: “He admitted that he had then stabbed her with a twelve-inch silver kitchen knife and that he had killed her.

“He claimed that he had ‘blanked out’ for an unknown period of time.

“When asked about what had happened, the offender stated, “I can’t remember anything about it”.

“He then placed his hands over his face and began crying. He then stated, ‘It was like I was possessed.’

“When asked if he remembered anything else, the accused Dryden paused and stated, ‘Well I wish I never started drinking’.

“He then stated, ‘I did really love her, you know’, and then began crying again.”

The court heard that pathologists carried out a post-mortem on Ms Hughes’s body on February 10.

Ms Brown said the cause of the victim’s death was recorded as being stab wounds to the chest and neck.

Defence advocate Lili Prais KC said she would reserve her mitigation until after the court had obtained a report on her client’s background.

Lord Harrower deferred sentence to obtain a background report.