Secret love affair ended in murder

Nov 19 2008 Paisley Daily Express

WHEN Jeanette McCulloch embarked on an affair with Kenneth Williamson, she had no idea the excitement of their secret passion would eventually end in the tragic death of her husband.

The mum-of-two started seeing Williamson in late 2006 at a time when she claimed her marriage was struggling.

She decided to end the affair around September last year after choosing her husband Joseph over Williamson.

But, by this time, evil Williamson was obsessed by his lover – and wasn’t prepared for their affair to simply fizzle out.

In the early hours of November 11 last year, he lay in wait for Mr McCulloch as he returned home and then brutally knifed him five times.

Williamson, 33, also attacked Mrs McCulloch, plunging a knife into her stomach and back.

He fled to England but was arrested by police and brought back to Scotland to face justice.

Williamson had denied responsibility for his appalling crimes, bizarrely blaming the McCullochs for attacking each other.

But a jury convicted him of murder, attempted murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice following a week-long trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Now he must spend at least 17 years behind bars before he can apply for parole.

Williamson waved to relatives after the verdict, showing no emotion as he was led away to the cells.

Yesterday, Judge Rita Rae QC hit out at Williamson, telling him: “This was a vicious attack and, during the attack on the male, he was pleading for you to stop and you did not.”

The trial heard how the love triangle involving Mrs McCulloch, Mr McCulloch and Williamson went on for some time before she eventually told her engineer husband what was going on and he moved out of the family home in Greenend Avenue, Johnstone.

The affair continued but it ended around September last year and the McCullochs got back together.

Mrs McCulloch, 38, told the jury she remained in contact with Williamson as friends but she suspected he wanted more.

On October 22 last year, Mrs McCulloch dropped her husband off at work, where Williamson had been waiting for him.

The men then went over to a nearby petrol station to confront Mrs McCulloch and Williamson accused her of sleeping with him again.

Mrs McCulloch told the jury: “That was not the case. He would tell Joe that we were doing this or that. That was not true.

“He was showing text messages that were sent a long, long time ago.”

On November 10, the McCullochs attended an engagement party at a bar in Johnstone.

Williamson later turned up at the pub and spoke with his former lover.

The court heard he wanted to know why she was there with her husband and not him.

Mrs McCulloch said: “I told him that I’d had enough. He seemed to be fine.”

The couple dropped off friends after the bash and arrived at their home in Johnstone at around 12.50am.

Construction worker Williamson suddenly emerged from the side of the building and confronted Mr McCulloch.

His wife went to call the police but Williamson stopped her before punching her on the head and stabbing her in the stomach and back.

The brute then turned the knife on Mr McCulloch, who pleaded: “Please stop, please stop.”

A hysterical and blood-soaked Mrs McCulloch went inside to call police as Williamson raced from the murder scene.

He then went for a shower and a change of clothes at a friend’s home before fleeing to Milton Keynes, where he was arrested.

Williamson, of Craigenfeoch Avenue, Johnstone, lodged a special defence during the trial blaming Mrs McCulloch for the murder. He also blamed Mr McCulloch for the attack on his wife.

He claimed he “loved” Mrs McCulloch and that her claims were “not true”.

Following the verdict, prosecutor Peter Ferguson QC told the court that Williamson had several previous convictions, including a seven-year jail term for causing death by dangerous driving.

In 2000, he knocked down student nurse Shona McLean in his Transit van, having earlier drunk a bottle of vodka and several pints of beer.

Ms McLean died instantly from massive head injuries in the accident in Montrose Street, Brechin.

Williamson was on licence at the time of Mr McCulloch’s murder, having been released early from Perth Prison in August 2006.

Yesterday, Mrs McCulloch – who spent eight days in hospital after being stabbed by Williamson – declined to talk about the verdict.

However, her sister Diane, 34, told the Express: “Jeanette is happy with the result and glad it’s all come to an end.

“The last few weeks have been quite upsetting for her as she’s had to relive the whole thing but, now that it’s over, we’re glad that justice has been served.”