A grandmother has been convicted of the murder of Aberdeen pensioner Alan Cowie.
Sharyn Stewart, 53, will spend at least 15 years in prison for the murder. She killed Mr Cowie by knocking him to the ground and placing her feet on his neck, causing him to stop breathing.
An investigation was launched after the 65-year-old’s body was discovered at his home at Alexander Terrace in Tillydrone on January 3, 2018.
Stewart admitted killing Mr Cowie but claimed she did not murder him because she had mental health problems and was unable to know right from wrong.
However, a psychiatrist told the court he could not find anything wrong with Ms Stewart.
Police Scotland released a statement welcoming the conviction and sentencing of Stewart today.
Detective Inspector Gary Winter, who led the enquiry, said: “Despite having her own home, Sharyn Stewart lived with Alan Cowie in his flat although claimed to not be in a relationship with him.
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“Our inquiries identified that a significant portion of his finances went on purchases for Stewart and when money was not available to her she became violent and cruel.
“Her final act towards him would turn out to be the most violent and brutal of them all when she – by her own admissions at court – banged his head repeatedly off the kitchen floor and thereafter stood on his throat until he was dead.
“Alan sustained many injuries during this assault including multiple rib fractures and I cannot begin to imagine what he suffered in his final moments.
“Thanks to crucial information we received from members of the public combined with strong forensic work, Stewart will thankfully now have to spend a significant period of time behind bars. It is just tragic that this outcome has been at the expense of a pensioner being brutally murdered in his own home.
“My thoughts are with Alan’s family today.”
