Man who drove to England to beat ex-partner to death jailed

A cage fighter who travelled from Glasgow to Northumberland to beat his ex-partner to death over her relationship with a 15-year-old boy has been jailed for 35 years.

Paul Robson, who also tried to kill the teenager, fled back to Scotland following the incident that took place last November.

The 50-year-old ex-convict launched the attack on teacher Caroline Kayll, 47, at her home in Linton.

Robson – who had blackmailed Mrs Kayll over her illegal relationship with the boy – kicked her in the head while wearing heavy work boots, and may have strangled her.

She did not survive the catastrophic brain injuries he inflicted.

On Wednesday the cage fighting coach and former MMA fighter was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Lavender did not accept there was any provocation for the attack, telling Robson: “You were upset when you learned of her relationship but you had known of it for over two weeks when you chose to drive from Glasgow to her home”.

Branded “a cruel and calculating coward” by the prosecution, Robson chopped off Mrs Kayll’s hair in clumps and slashed her body.

He also repeatedly attacked the boy with scissors and a meat cleaver, sprayed them both with ammonia and stole their phones.

Nicholas Lumley QC, prosecuting, said: “He was never going to do anything other than ruin her.”

Robson, who has 21 convictions for 92 offences over more than 30 years, denied murder, claiming it was the boy who attacked Mrs Kayll, and said he struggled to get the better of the less powerfully-built teenager in the ensuing brawl.

The court heard that Robson had a clandestine relationship with Mrs Kayll while he was behind bars in HMP Northumberland.

They lived together but split up weeks before the murder and he blackmailed her when he found out about the relationship she had started with the teenager, who cannot be identified.

She was to confide in a friend that Robson was blackmailing her for £35,000 and that her ex was “going to ruin her” and tell her school, the jury heard.

Over ten days in November, she transferred £29,000 to Robson and took out a £10,500 loan, having previously been solvent.

On November 15, Robson made the three-hour drive having bought a locksmith’s bar, a magnetic GPS car tracker, screwdrivers, pliers, a wrench and the ammonia which he decanted into a washing-up liquid bottle.

CCTV showed him “prowling” outside her house.

Witnesses heard a female voice shout “get out” and later that evening Robson knocked on his former neighbour’s house to say “Caroline was in a bad way”, Mr Lumley said.

He then fled back to Glasgow and remained at large while police made appeals to trace him before he was arrested.

Robson, who was convicted of murder, attempted murder and blackmail, went on the run for six days while his ex-partner’s life ebbed away in hospital.