Man who left partner's face 'hanging off' in brutal murder given life sentence

A man who “brutally” murdered his partner in a frenzied attack has been given a life sentence.

Alexander Brennan killed young mum Brodie MacGregor, 23, at her flat in Glasgow’s Springburn on August 26, 2024.

The 54-year-old left Brodie’s face effectively hanging off after he repeatedly struck her with glass bottles in a scene a witness said would “stay with me forever.”

Brennan got rid of his blood-stained trousers and locked Brodie’s dead body inside her flat before dialling 999.

He then boarded a train to the Falkirk area, where he told a friend’s partner, “I just couldn’t stop.”

Brennan, of Larbert, was found guilty of murdering Brodie and was jailed for a minimum of 22 years.

Alexander Brennan was handed a life sentence on Monday Police Scotland

Judge Lord Scott told him: “You murdered her when she was 23 – there were no victim impact statements, but I am told about surviving siblings and a young child left without their mother.

“You brutally murdered a woman who offered no threat to you.

“A doctor described her injuries as ones seen in high velocity impacts or falling from a building.

“As she lay there for around an hour, conscious or unconscious, you took no steps to seek medical assistance, which would have offered a slight chance that she would survive.

“You showed complete disregard to whether she lived or died.”

The High Court in Glasgow previously heard that Brennan had fallen out with Brodie.

A taxi from Stirling dropped Brennan off at Brodie’s home around 1.35am, and he went inside.

Brodie dialled 999 around 4.35am, where she was heard to say on the call: “You attacked me.”

Officers attended Brodie’s home but were told by her that the call was a mistake and that she was safe in Brennan’s company.

CCTV later showed the pair separately leaving the property and walking in the surrounding area before returning to the flat.

Around 9.41am, footage showed Brennan putting his blood-stained trousers in a clothing bin near Brodie’s flat.

He was seen to place a phone to his ear at 9.55am in a 999 call, which lasted over 90 seconds.

When asked by the call handler if the patient was breathing, Brennan replied: “I don’t think so.”

Later in the call, the handler asked him what happened, and he did not respond to the question.

Paramedics quickly arrived at the flat but could not get in, so the fire brigade was called to force open the door lock.

Witnesses found Brodie lying face down on the living room floor, surrounded by fragments of broken glass bottles.

Prosecutor Alan Parfery asked a detective sergeant what he noticed about Brodie’s mouth, and he replied: “It looks like her mouth has been severed completely.

“Her face more or less was hanging off.”

The flat – which was in a state of disarray – was found to have blood in various areas.

The DS said: “There was a lot of blood spraying which extended to the ceiling.

“This was one that stood out for me and will stay with me forever.”

Brodie was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.15am.

In the meantime, Brennan was on a train to Camelon in the Falkirk area, where he visited the home of a friend.

The man’s then partner told jurors that Brennan had “blood all over him” and she put his stained jumper in the washing machine.

The woman asked what had happened and was told: “I couldn’t stop.”

When asked if he gave an explanation for the comment or who he was referring to, the witness said: “He just mentioned Brodie and that she was a b****.”

She added that Brennan told her that he was “done.”

Brennan was seen on CCTV going into a shop that day and the next day, before his eventual arrest at an associate’s house in Stirling on August 28.

The blood-stained jumper was seized from the washing machine, and the trousers were recovered from the clothing bin. The blood on the garments was found to have come from Brodie.

A post-mortem examination carried out on Brodie after her death identified a total of 78 injuries to her head and body.

A doctor stated that Brodie’s cause of death was “facial injuries” having suffered a mixture of blunt force injuries, bruises, abrasions and lacerations.

She also had severe sharp force injuries to her face, particularly her mouth.

An injury which separated Brodie’s lips from her gumline is one that the experienced pathologist said she had never seen before.

Brodie was described as having two “bilateral black eyes”, which the doctor said is seen in “high velocity injuries, people in road traffic injuries or seriously assaulted.”

It was further stated that Brodie had also swallowed a lot of blood, which filled her lungs and airways.

She stated that Brodie would have been alive for an hour after suffering her injuries and could have survived had medical assistance been sought sooner.

The advocate depute suggested a scenario that the face and head injuries could be explained by Brodie being struck with intact and broken glass and then being struck with broken glass.

The witness replied: “Yes.”

Mr Parfery told jurors in his closing speech: “In a stunning act of brutality, he struck her with broken glass bottles multiple times.”

Brian McConnachie KC, defending, stated after the verdict: “As far as events are concerned, he has very little recollection.

“As I understand it, he has some recollection of an argument taking place but has unable through proceedings to accept total responsibility for what took place.”

It was revealed that Brennan has previous convictions for assaults which include to injury.

Family and friends flocked to social media to pay tribute to the mum following her death.

One wrote: “So sad. RIP Brodie, thoughts go out to her family.

Another said: “May her soul rest in peace and her family stay strong. My thoughts are with them all.”

A third added: “Poor girl, RIP sweetheart. My thoughts are with your family and friends.”