An “evil” man and his “nasty” accomplice have been jailed for a total of more than 40 years for the shocking and gruesome murder of a mum of two.
Ross MacDougall, 32, and Dawn Smith, 29, were handed life sentences for murdering 40-year-old Tracy Walker in Lerwick, Shetland, in July last year.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the pair targeted their victim because they needed money to buy drugs.
The two addicts knew she was carrying money and hoped she would provide them with the cash needed to satisfy their depraved cravings.
They then confronted Ms Walker, with MacDougall striking her on the head with a rock before strangling her and repeatedly stabbing her in the throat.
Jurors heard how following the attack, Smith stood for 10 minutes and watched her victim die before she and MacDougall left the scene and took a ride in her co-accused’s car.
She told a man how she witnessed Ms Walker lying on the ground “gargling” in the moments where she fought in vain for her life.
Sentencing the pair Judge Lord Uist told MacDougall he’d have to serve a minimum of 23 years before he’d be eligible for parole.
His co-accused Smith was told she’d have serve at least 20 years and two months before she could hope for release from custody.
Lord Uist had heard moments earlier how MacDougall had previous convictions for assaulting a person with a glass and also a 16 month sentence for stabbing a man to his severe injury and the danger of his life.
He was also sentenced to 14 months for abusive behaviour involving threatening somebody with a knife.
The court heard Smith has previous convictions of dishonesty and for possessing weapons such as an axe and a screwdriver.
Passing sentence, Lord Uist said: “You have both been convicted by the jury of the shocking and gruesome murder of Tracy Walker, an innocent 40-year-old woman in Lerwick on July 30 last year.
“In an attempt to rob her of money so that you could buy controlled drugs, you carried out a savage attack on her which involved striking her with stones, manual compression of her neck and her striking her repeatedly with a knife.
“The worst injury which she suffered and which caused her death was a 13 centimetre gaping incised wound extending horizontally across her neck completely transecting the right jugular vein and the right internal carotid artery.
“You Ross Ian MacDougall are now 32-years of age. You have a criminal record consisting of 10 separate court appearances.
“Your criminal record – particularly your conviction for assault to severe injury and danger of life and your conviction for this matter show you are an evil man.”
Lord Uist then told Smith: “You Dawn Smith are now 29-years of age. You have a criminal record mainly for crimes of dishonesty consisting of 11 separate court appearances.
“You encouraged or instigated your co-accused to commit this murder and supplied him with a knife which he used.
“Your guilt is at least as great as his.”
The two accused were sent to prison on the 16th day of proceedings. They had denied murdering Ms Walker in Ladies Drive, Lerwick.
Defence advocate Brian McConnachie QC told Lord Uist that MacDougall had a long standing drug problem and had experienced a troubled childhood.
Mr McConnachie said that MacDougall was trying to stay away from illicit substances in the days and hours before he murdered Ms Walker.
He said: “It is the worst mistake that he has ever made in his life – not just for him but for Tracy Walker.”
Mr McConnachie also said MacDougall maintains he has no recollection of the attack.
Paul Nelson, who was representing Smith, said she has a young daughter who is being cared for by her grandparents.
He added: “The reason for that is her problem with drugs.”
After the two were led to the cells, Lord Uist thanked jurors for their service and told them they had sat through a “rather harrowing” trial.