Scots rapist who brutally murdered fiancée by stamping on her head caged for life

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A convicted rapist who murdered his bride to be by repeatedly kicking, stamping and striking her head against a floor has been jailed for life.

Rory O’Connor, 54, subjected his partner Diane Nichol, 57, to a “savage” assault at her house in Trevelyan Terrace in Hawick, Borders, on August 9, 2021.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how O’Connor had been heard shouting at Diane on the day before she died. A witness heard O’Connor tell her: “You’re useless, you don’t clean, you don’t make my lunch, you better make it tomorrow.” The following day, a neighbour of Diane heard banging and shouting coming from her flat.Prosecutor Craig Murray told the court: “A downstairs neighbour heard the accused’s raised voice and banging noises all day on August 9 2021.

The neighbour could not hear the deceased’s voice.“The disturbance intensified in the evening when the accused’s voice became louder.“Between 7.30pm and 8.15pm, the accused said ‘I’m not going to sleep with you then’“At around 8.25pm, the neighbour heard three to five bangs in quick succession coming from the floor of the bedroom of the locus.“They were noticeably louder than the banging the neighbour heard earlier in the day. “The accused shouted ‘get up get up or I will hurt you again.’ There were further banging noises. “A female could be heard whimpering and moaning and the neighbour called the police at 8.57pm.”The court heard how when police officers arrived, the accused let the police in and said ‘Diane wake up, come on get up.Officers saw blood stains and a large clump of Diane’s hair lying beside her as she lay face down on the floor.The officers and paramedics tried to save Diane’s life but she later died that evening.Police arrested O’Connor and later told him