A former Aberdeen man has been jailed for three years after killing his partner.
Patrick Webster, 62, was handed the jail term after being convicted of the manslaughter of Katrina Fletcher, after an incident at their Keswick home in Cumbria on September 11 last year.
Ms Fletcher was taken to hospital afterwards, but died from her injuries two weeks later.
The court heard how paramedics had attended Webster’s home after he reported that his partner had drunk vodka and appeared to have overdosed on an unknown substance.
However, paramedics attending the scene contacted police upon seeing Ms Fletcher and finding she had suffered injuries.
Webster, who previously lived in the Torry area of the city, told paramedics that they often fought and had fought that day.
He said he had pushed her and she possibly hit her head.
He also indicated that she had been in this state of unconsciousness for around an hour before he called 999.
When he was told by paramedics that she appeared to have a significant head injury, Webster replied: “That was me then.”
Webster gave no comment responses in his police interviews. However, he admitted manslaughter when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court.
Detective Chief Inspector Craig Smith of Cumbria Police said: “Whilst Webster refused to speak to officers about what occurred that evening inside his home, it is clear that Katrina had suffered extremely serious injuries which, sadly, she was not able to recover from.
“Any chance Katrina had of surviving the assault reduced dramatically due to Webster delaying contacting emergency services. Whilst Katrina desperately needed urgent medical attention, Webster did not contact the emergency services for an hour and then failed to be honest about the extent and nature of her injuries.
“I would like to use this as an opportunity to urge anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse, or who knows someone who is experiencing domestic abuse, to come forward. Our officers can both help you get the support you need to end the violence against you and bring the perpetrator to justice before they can cause further harm.”
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