Elizabeth Sweeney: Woman who beat Aberdeen man to death with kettle jailed for at least 18 years
A woman who used a kettle to beat a man to death during a violent attack has been jailed for at least 18 years.
Elizabeth Sweeney, 36, had denied murdering Neil Jolly, 49, at his flat in Aberdeen’s Marischal Court in June 2023.
Prosecutors said dad-of-three Mr Jolly had been repeatedly punched on the head and body, kicked on the head, and struck with a kettle, or unknown implement.
Judge Andrew Miller said the “prolonged and sustained assault” resulted in the victim suffering more than 70 blunt force injuries, including to his head, neck, torso, arms and hands.
Neil Jolly. Pic: Police Scotland
The judge told Sweeney: “You inflicted a severe and fatal brain injury and other head injuries which, according to the medical evidence given at your trial, were of a kind which might be expected to result from a high-impact road traffic collision or a fall from height, along with fractures to a rib and to a structure in his throat.”
The murder is believed to have occurred at the high-rise block of flats between the evening of Thursday 22 June 2023 and the early hours of the following morning.
Mr Jolly’s body was eventually discovered by officers on Monday 26 June 2023 after Sweeney herself raised the alarm.
The murder occurred within a flat in Marischal Court, Aberdeen
During the trial, jurors were shown CCTV of the killer out and about after the murder had reportedly taken place.
Judge Miller noted Sweeney had soaked Mr Jolly’s body with water and had attempted to clean blood from the bathroom and kettle.
The judge said: “During the intervening weekend you did nothing to seek help for Neil Jolly or to allow his body to be recovered.
“Instead, you appear to have spent that weekend in much the same way as you might have spent any other weekend, apparently giving little, if any, thought to Neil Jolly’s fate or your part in it.”
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Sweeney lodged a special defence of self-defence but was last month found guilty of murder following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Judge Miller noted the jurors rejected her claim that Mr Jolly had provoked her violent behaviour by allegedly sexually assaulting her while she was asleep.
Instead, jurors were said to be satisfied Sweeney showed prior malice and ill-will towards Mr Jolly by assaulting him on at least two occasions in the space of two weeks or so before his death.
The murder was also said to be aggravated by domestic abuse as the pair were said to be partners or ex-partners at the time of the incident.
Sweeney returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday, where she was handed a mandatory life sentence with at least 18 years behind bars.
The court heard of her lengthy past criminal record, which included convictions for crimes of disorder, dishonesty, assault, and being in possession of an offensive weapon.
Judge Miller noted the criminal justice social work report which highlighted Sweeney’s “difficult personal background” and longstanding drug addiction.
The judge added: “Although you maintain your general description, which the jury rejected, of how this incident began, the report states that you take full responsibility for Neil Jolly’s death and that you feel remorse for your actions.”
Statements written by Mr Jolly’s mother, son and sister were said to “powerfully express” how the family had suffered an “enormous loss”.
Following the court case, Detective Inspector William Murdoch said: “We acknowledge this sentence today and hope that this brings some comfort to the family and friends of Neil Jolly.”
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