'Shadow' man guilty of his wife's murder

A FORMER accountant who stabbed his wife 86 times at the family home has been found guilty of murder.

David Lilburn knifed his wife Ann in the chest, head and limbs at their home in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on 29 July last year.

Lilburn had said he should not be found guilty of murder because he claimed a "black shadow" sent him telepathic messages ordering him to kill Ann, 43, his partner of 26 years.

But the jury gave a unanimous guilty verdict in two hours.

There were shouts of "yes!" from the public gallery as the verdict was read out.

Several family members in the court began to weep but Lilburn stared ahead impassively.

A chilling 999 call heard hysterical Ann scream "I'm dead" as Lilburn repeatedly plunged four kitchen knives into her body.

Lilburn did not deny the attack but claimed mental illness had pushed him to kill his wife at their home in Arniston Way.

But prosecutor advocate- depute Derek Ogg, QC, said an elaborate lie had been built to cover the attack made in a rage when his wife asked for a divorce.

The couple's marriage was on the rocks after Lilburn started an affair with another woman, Lynn McGuire. This proved the "final straw" for the devout Catholic wife who had supported him as he battled for years with mental illness, Mr Ogg said. "There's an argument, there's a domestic. It wasn't a black shadow that battered her head against a door," he added.

The couple's son David, 26, read from a prepared statement outside court after the verdict

: "Our mother was the kindest and most caring person. Not only was she a loving mother, but also a caring daughter, sister and auntie... We will sorely miss this beautiful woman who took great pleasure in her numerous roles and responsibilities without issue to the personal costs.

"We can only hope that, now justice has been served, our whole family will be able to grieve properly and we would appreciate the time and privacy to do so and that we may be allowed to get on with the rest of our lives as we know our mother would have wanted."

Temporary judge Ian Peebles adjourned the case to 5 September for sentencing reports.

BACKGROUND

DURING the case, the court heard a 999 call in which a hysterical Ann Lilburn screamed "I'm dead" as her husband murdered her.

The call, which lasted about four minutes,began with her pleading: "Help me."

Screams were then heard as the operator tried to discover what was happening. Mrs Lilburn then weakly said "hello" before yelling: "I'm dead."

She gasped and moaned as the operator tried to talk to her. She later said: "He's stabbed..." And: "David, stop it. I can't breathe." There was then further moaning with a "beat" interrupting the groans.