The family of an Aberdeen man left with brain injuries after he was brutally beaten have spoken of their relief after a woman who took part in the murder bid had her conviction appeal thrown out.
Ashley Duncan, 25, was jailed for six years in October last year after being convicted of the attempted murder of Jordan Jones while he was asleep on a couch at a house in Aberdeen in May 2016.
She and co-accused Matthew Donaldson and Lee Hutchison repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on Jordan at the property in Auldearn Place.
The three were convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh. Hutchison received 11 years and Donaldson was given eight years.
Jordan was left with “catastrophic” brain injuries and will require full-time care for the rest of his life. He is at a specialist unit in Glasgow following the attack.
Jordan’s aunt Caroline Munro told the Evening Express she is happy the appeal bid has been turned down.
The 52-year-old said: “It was appalling that she had launched an appeal in the first place.
“The family are very happy that this has been turned down. She was just as guilty as the others.
“These people need to be kept off the street.”
She added: “Jordan is doing better but still requires specialist support in Glasgow. We are hoping we can possibly move him back to Aberdeen at some point but it is all about getting somewhere with the right rehabilitation facilities for him.”
Jordan’s sister, Zoe Jones, also welcomed the decision.
The 18-year-old said: “I think it is good the appeal has been turned down.
“I was confused why she even appealed in the first place because if she didn’t do it then she wouldn’t have got six years.
“Personally, I still don’t think it was enough for what she did. I don’t think any of them got long enough.”
Duncan’s defence advocate, Jonathan Crowe, told appeal judges Lord Carloway, Lord Turnbull and Lord Menzies that they should overturn her conviction.
Mr Crowe said the evidence led in the case showed she was provoked and that Lady Scott should have given legal directions to jurors about this.
The court heard if jurors had been briefed about this then they may have returned a verdict of guilty to the lesser charge of assault to severe injury under provocation.
However, the appeal judges disagreed with Mr Crowe’s submissions.
Lord Carloway said: “We will refuse the appeal. We will issue our reasons why we have refused this appeal in writing later.”
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