Murderer who killed ex-girlfriend's mother handed life sentence

Michael Dorey left Jacqueline Grant with at least 34 knife wounds following an attack at her home.

Murderer who killed ex-girlfriend’s mother at home in Maryhill handed life sentence at Glasgow Sheriff Court Police Scotland

A killer who murdered his ex-girlfriend’s mother has been jailed for a minimum 19 years.

On Monday, Michael Dorey was handed a life sentence at the High Court in Glasgow.

He pled guilty last week to leaving Jacqueline Grant, 54, with at least 34 knife wounds during an attack at her home in Maryhill, Glasgow on April 6, 2021.

The 48-year-old insisted he could not remember carrying out the killing.

Sentencing, Lord Arthurson told him: “The crime can properly be categorised as a sustained and murderous attack upon a vulnerable lady in her own home.

“The attack, although unplanned, was brutal and ferocious in both its savagery and scale.”

The judge cut the minimum term from 20 years due to the guilty plea.

Jacqueline Grant was found within her flat in Cumlodden DrivePolice Scotland

Emotional relatives of mum-of-four Jacqueline shouted angrily towards Dorey as he was led handcuffed back to the cells.

Dorey had previously been the partner of Jacqueline’s 36-year-old daughter Tracey Grant, although kept in touch with the family.

He had gone to her flat on the day of the murder where he discussed building her a table.

Two more of Jacqueline’s daughters had also been there at one stage before leaving.

The exact details of the killing are not known, but a bleeding Dorey was spotted around 12.50am walking in the street with a towel around his hand.

Prosecutor Margaret Barron said he later told a medic he had been the victim of an “unprovoked attack” by an “unknown person”.

Jacqueline’s daughter, Danielle Grant, had been trying to contact her mum in the meantime and eventually went to her home around 5.15pm on April 6.

Ms Barron said: “Danielle walked further into the hall and turned towards the living room.

“She saw her mother lying on the hallway floor covered in blood.”

A knife was then found under her body.

Jacqueline – who had health and mobility issues – died from stab wounds to the neck.

Ms Barron said pathologists noted multiple sharp force injuries including a total of 34 wounds to the body.

Dorey, of the city’s Dennistoun, was traced and initially claimed to police he had not seen Jacqueline since January 2021.

However, DNA and blood marks linked him to the crime.

Lord Arthurson remarked on Monday that when Jacqueline’s daughter discovered her body was “akin to a scene from a charnel house”.

Donald Findlay QC, defending, told the hearing last week Dorey had “no memory at all of the offence”.

The court heard on Monday that the killer was “distraught” for what happened.

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