The family of Aberdeen murder victim Neil Jolly today thanked police and the legal system for securing justice.
Elizabeth Sweeney, 36, was yesterday found guilty of killing Mr Jolly in a brutal attack at his home.
Drug addict Sweeney repeatedly struck the 49-year-old over the head and body with a kettle before leaving his blood-stained body in the bathroom of his Marischal Court flat.
Sweeney – who had historic convictions for violence and had previously served a prison sentence – claimed she was acting in self-defence, but the jury of 10 men and five women unanimously returned a guilty verdict at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Speaking for the first time since Mr Jolly’s tragic death in June 2023, his family said they were pleased the jury had rejected Sweeney’s claim of self-defence.
In a statement to The Press and Journal, they said: “Neil was a very lonely and naive man who just wanted some company and sadly chose the wrong person.
“But we know Neil would never be capable of doing what he was accused of – and that was proven in court.
“We’ve got what we wanted for Neil, which was the justice he deserved, but it will never take Neil back and we as a family can only try and move on from this horrific ordeal.
“We would like to take the opportunity to thank the police, the family liaison officers, the justice system and Victim Support Scotland for all their help in this difficult time.”
Detective Inspector William Murdoch said: “We acknowledge this conviction at court and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Neil Jolly at what continues to be a difficult time for them.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community and wider public for their assistance during this investigation.”
During the trial the jury was shown CCTV Sweeney coming and going from Mr Jolly’s flat in the days between when he last seen alive, June 23, and when she called the police to report what she had done, June 26.
The footage also showed Sweeney going into Marischal Court on a number of occasions to change her clothes – using Mr Jolly’s keys to gain entry to the high-rise.
Witnesses and police officers gave evidence to say that Sweeney was also seen wearing trainers with what looked like blood soaked into the laces.
In the days after Mr Jolly’s death Sweeney was also seen walking the streets of Aberdeen meeting friends, scoring drugs and drinking in the city centre.
On one occasion she met a male friend and went drinking for nearly 10 hours, where she could be seen on CCTV kissing, cuddling and occasionally dancing with him.
Life sentence for murderer
But in the early hours of June 26, a frantic Sweeney called the police and reported that she thought Mr Jolly was in his flat, badly injured.
Around the same time, a friend of hers, Ian Gray found Sweeney sobbing on King Street and claiming she had “murdered somebody”.
Following the verdict, which came after a nine-day trial, Judge Andrew Miller told Sweeney: “Murder is the most serious crime known to the law in Scotland.
“The only sentence it allows is life imprisonment and, in due course, you will be sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Neil Jolly.”
He added that “due to the serious nature of the crime for which she had been convicted” he would delay sentence until March 3 this year.