The partner of murdered Aberdeen mum Jill Barclay has spoken publicly for the first time about the tragedy – and his hopes of buying and demolishing the derelict property where she was killed.
Leon Grant – who had known Jill for 40 years and was her partner for the last two decades – said the Farburn Gatehouse in Dyce is a constant reminder of the horrific way she died and wants to see it razed to the ground.
Mr Grant said last week’s court case – which saw 23-year-old Rhys Bennett jailed for her rape and murder – was “justice for Jill” but fresh details about the manner of her death had brought him back to “square one”.
Bennett, from Fife, was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison for attacking Jill and then burning her alive on September 17 last year.
Mr Grant said that he had been told the details of Jill’s last moments by police officers at the time, but said the newly added rape charge and the guilty plea from Bennett had reopened old wounds.
“But I feel like I’m in a loop – the court case has just brought it all back again. I’m reliving her last few hours over and over,” he said.
“I was diagnosed with PTSD last year after it happened – I just could not fathom what happened to poor Jill.”
Farburn Gatehouse: ‘It’s time for it all to go’
Mr Grant hopes that buying the derelict property and demolishing it will help his family get closure.
“I need to get some closure,” he said. “We have found some kind of justice for Jill and the case is now closed. But it’s coming up for nearly a year now.
“I want to try and move forward,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to put anything else there – I just want to see it flattened. That bloody house is just niggling away at me.
“The police erected the green fence to try and protect the site, and it is protecting it as best it can – but it’s time for it all to go.”
‘Constant reminder’
Mr Grant said he simply wants to raze the house and the outbuildings and does not want a memorial on the site.
He said: “I’ve reached out to the Dyce in Bloom Gardening Club. I would maybe just donate it to them if they were willing to take it on. But I don’t want a memorial or anything, not there where she was murdered – I wouldn’t go there anyway.”
“Driving past the property is a constant reminder,” Mr Grant added.
“I want to try and buy it now, while I have the chance, before anyone does it up or rebuilds on it. The best thing for me would be to demolish it.”
Farburn Gatehouse was sold at auction just days before Jill’s murder took place, the sale being finalised on September 2, 2022.
A Land Registry search shows Hafiza Abid, from Glasgow, is the new listed owner and when we contacted him he explained his business partner Shahzad Hassan would be controlling the development of the property.
The pair, who run takeaway and retail businesses in Glasgow, had originally planned to refurbish the house and had not ruled out future commercial uses for it.
However, Mr Grant has since contacted them and started a dialogue to negotiate taking ownership himself.
Mr Hassan offered his sympathy and condolences to Mr Grant and said he would accept a “reasonable offer”.
Mr Grant also spoke about how their two children, a boy aged 6 and a girl aged 8, are coping with the loss of Jill.
He said: “We both said the main thing was to make sure the kids were alright. I know it will get easier over time, but my main priority now is the kids and protecting them.
‘They think there is still a bad man out there killing people’
“I have always been a hands-on dad, so taking on that role isn’t a problem.
“My son really misses his mum, he was a proper mummy’s boy – he just doesn’t understand. And my daughter has found it really difficult. She’s that little bit older.
“They don’t like me leaving their sight – they think there is still a bad man out there killing people. They don’t like me walking anywhere on my own.”
He said the family have been getting help from the Archie Foundation to help them cope with Jill’s death.
Mr Grant wants to remain in the area and would “never, ever” move away.
He added: “Jill and I bought this house together – so it has lots of memories. I couldn’t uproot the kids like that – they’re at school and have friends here. My main priority is protecting them now.”