Woman jailed for hammer and knife murder of neighbour
A woman who admitted to murdering her neighbour in a "frenzied" and "intentional" attack involving a hammer and knife has been sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in prison.
Claire Kilduff, 40, stabbed Ann Coll, 61, and repeatedly struck her with a hammer after visiting her home to watch television.
She was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow, one day after pleading guilty to the murder charge.
The court heard that Kilduff made a false 999 call claiming she had found the 61-year-old in a pool of blood after going to her flat in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, days before Christmas 2023.
Kilduff entered her guilty plea just days before her trial was due to begin, having previously attempted to blame another woman for the crime.
Judge reflects on victim impact and nature of attack
Sentencing Kilduff, Lord Arthurson referenced "heart-rending victim impact statements from her grieving daughters, son and grand-daughter."
"As one eloquently expressed, their lives will never be whole again,"
He described the crime as a "frenzied and sustained episode of multi-instrumental violence," noting that the victim's injuries were "catastrophic, extensive and horrifying."
The judge stated that while motive was not required to be proven, several factors strongly suggested the murder was "cold-blooded and intentional" and possibly carried out for financial gain.
He added that the killing was "completed when your defenceless victim had no idea about the savage, merciless and murderous attack which you were about to unleash upon her."
Background of victim and relationship with killer
Prosecutor Gavin Dewar informed the court that the two women had been friends as well as neighbours, often walking their dogs together near their homes in Newfield Place, Rutherglen, including shortly before the murder.
Kilduff had gone to Coll's flat that evening to watch television.
Dewar explained that Kilduff was "financially embarrassed" and owed money to others.
The court heard that on the night of the murder, a transfer of £320 was arranged from the victim's bank account into an account belonging to Kilduff, who was familiar with accessing Coll's banking app.
Coll, a mother of three who lived alone with her dog Lola, was receiving benefits at the time.
The murder occurred sometime between 19:30 and 00:50.
Dewar detailed the attack: "Kilduff repeatedly struck Ann Coll with a hammer causing extensive blunt force trauma injuries to the head and neck. The blows caused extensive fractures to Ann Coll's skull. Kilduff repeatedly stabbed her with a knife."
Emergency response and discovery of victim
When Kilduff called 999, she was breathless and crying, stating she had "found my neighbour in a pool of blood and she is not breathing."
Emergency services found Kilduff sitting in the common close and Coll in her bedroom with at least 21 blows to the head and seven stab wounds to the neck, back, and side of the chest.
Investigation details and forensic evidence
Kilduff was arrested in February 2024 after her phone was examined.
The court was told she conducted several Google searches on the night of the attack, including "deadliest stab wounds," "stab wound to the neck," "hammer to head injury," and "killed by single blow to head."
She also searched "killed by my debt" and "killed by single blow to head" on the night of the murder.
Nearly a year after the attack, police searched an underfloor cavity in Kilduff's flat and recovered a hammer and knife bearing Kilduff's DNA and traces of the victim's blood.
Kilduff had been scheduled to stand trial this week and had lodged a special defence blaming another woman, a prosecution witness, for the killing.
Gary Allan KC stated that Kilduff "cannot explain" her actions but had "expressed sorrow" for the killing.
Lord Arthurson noted that the minimum sentence would have been 22 years if not for Kilduff's guilty plea.
Family's response to the tragedy
Coll's family released a statement expressing the profound impact of her death.
"We live every day with a grief that cannot be measured, and a loss that can never truly heal," they said.
"Our mother was more than a victim. She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She was the person we turned to for comfort, guidance, and strength."
"The way she died has made our grief even harder to bear."
Police statement on the case
Detective Superintendent Lynsey Watters of Police Scotland described the incident as a "violent and shocking attack."
"While no outcome can truly ease the pain of their loss, we hope this sentencing will bring some comfort to her loved ones as Kilduff faces the consequences of her actions."
