Woman who battered her partner to death jailed for life

A MUM who dragged her son and daughter into a murder plot has been jailed for life.

Sharon Hollinsworth bludgeoned her 15-stone partner Andrew Oates, 44, to death with at least 20 blows from a hammer at their Peterhead home.

But at the High Court in Edinburgh, defence lawyers claimed Mr Oates was a drunken, bad-tempered bully who dabbled in the occult, conspiracy theories and was obsessed with extreme violence.

Hollinsworth, 44, who admitted murder, conspiracy to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice, was told she must serve at least 11 years in prison before she can apply for parole.

Christopher Hollinsworth, who admitted conspiracy to murder his father, was jailed for four years and two months.

Natalie Hollinsworth, his half-sister, 22, who admitted conspiracy to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice, was jailed for a total of five years.

Passing sentence Judge Lord Doherty told Sharon Hollinsworth he accepted Mr Oates was “a difficult man to live with.”

He continued: “I accept he was a controlling personality and you suffered abuse from him during your relationship.”

But the judge told all three accused that could not justify or excuse what they did.