A grandmother who murdered a “generous” pensioner and then tried to “blag” her way into getting access to the man’s finances was jailed for life yesterday.
Evil Sharyn Stewart, 53, killed Alan Cowie, 65, by knocking him to the ground and placing her her two feet on his neck causing him to stop breathing.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Stewart attacked Mr Cowie following a confrontation in Alexander Terrace, Aberdeen on January 2, 2018.
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The court heard how Stewart occasionally lived with Mr Cowie at his property in Aberdeen and had a “confusing relationship” with him. Mr Cowie regarded Stewart as being his partner whilst they were just friends.
In the months before his death, Mr Cowie inherited £86,000 from a relative. But after Mr Cowie died, Stewart tried to get her hands on his money.
The court heard how Mr Cowie gave her money throughout the time he had known her.
She phoned the banks which held his inheritance and tried to gain access to his accounts.
She even enlisted the help of a man to pretend to be Mr Cowie during the calls. But Stewart failed to gain access to Mr Cowie’s finances as he had previously reported his cards stolen.
Stewart, of Aberdeen, admitted killing Mr Cowie but claimed she didn’t murder him because she had mental health problems and was unable to know right from wrong.
However, a psychiatrist told the court he couldn’t find anything wrong with Ms Stewart.
Jurors convicted the drug addict and alcoholic of murder.
During the trial, her daughter’s partner, Alistair Smith, 28, told the court: “I knew he had money.
“He bought us a sofa – this was so we didn’t have to take out finance and we paid him back.
“He took us on holiday. He was a generous guy. He bought my eldest daughter teddies and gifts.”
Judge Lord Pentland ordered Stewart to serve a minimum of 15 years in prison.
He said: “I conclude that you committed a savage and cruel murder with deliberation. The medical evidence showed he was fighting for his life but you showed him no mercy.
“The jury has rightly in my view rejected your defence of provocation. They have seen through your tissue of lies.
“After murdering Mr Cowie you tried to cover your tracks and showed a callous disregard for what you have done.
“Although your relationship with him was a difficult one, my overall impression is that you preyed and manipulated him in order to secure money to feed your addictions to drink and drugs.
“There is only one sentence which I can impose in this case and it is life imprisonment.”
