Soul Mate

A Man has been jailed for at least 24 years for The Rape and murder of A Woman as she walked home in Aberdeen.

Mother-of-two Jill Barclay, 47, was attacked and burned alive. Her body was found in a street in the

Rhys Bennett , 23, admitted the crimes, which a judge described as " wicked and medieval in their barbarity".

Ms Barclay's family said she had been " a deeply loved Life Partner , mother and daughter".

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Bennett did not know her before The Attack and had met her on a Night Out .

Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy KC told The Court that she was Walking Home when Bennett from Ballingry, Fife, followed her.

He brutally attacked and raped her in the grounds of an empty property at Farburn Gatehouse, Dyce.

Bennett then left her badly injured at The Scene and retuned shortly after in his van. He poured a can of petrol on her and set her alight.

Ms Barclay, who worked for energy services firm Petrofac, was found dead in The Street near to the Marriot Hotel, at about 03:30 on 17 September.

Ms Glancy said forensic evidence suggested Ms Barclay had been alive when she had been set On Fire .

Bennett also admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice by burning the clothes he wore.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Judge Lord Arthurson said The Attack had involved " extreme, sustained and feral violence".

He Said Bennet had burned his victim alive and described his crimes as " unimaginably wicked and mediaeval in their barbarity".

Hundreds of people marched through The Streets of Aberdeen in November After Her murder.

They called for action to make City Streets safer for women, with more taxis and improved street lighting.

In a tribute at her funeral, her family said: " Jill lived a full and Happy Life , packing more into her 47 years than some do in an entire lifetime.

" She was struck down in her prime, in an act of unimaginable cruelty.

" It is outrageous that A Woman cannot walk home safely at night. "

Her partner of 20 years - who did not wish to be named - described her as his " Soul Mate , the love of his life".

City councillor Sandra Macdonald, a member of the Aberdeen Women's Alliance, helped organise The Street safety march after Ms Barclay's death.

She told Bbc Scotland : " I think there was a real reckoning within The City and I do hope out of all of that there will come changes so this never happens again.

" I think in general Aberdeen is a very safe city To Live in. But there are ways we can improve the infrastructure. "

Source of news: bbc.com