Woman jailed for scissors killing

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A woman who killed a frail pensioner by stabbing him 18 times with scissors at his home has been jailed for 11 years.

Henrietta Johnstone, 33, carried out the frenzied attack on 67-year-old Andrew Powell in the Roystonhill area of Glasgow in January.

She claimed he had tried to rape her and she had acted in self defence.

Johnstone was originally charged with murder but was found guilty of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow last month.

The court heard how 67-year-old Mr Powell, who was also known as Steven, had come to the UK in the 1960s and stayed in London before finally settling in Scotland.

He had known Johnstone for 20 years before the fatal attack on 11 January.

I accept that you claim you acted in self-defence, but the jury rejected that and convicted you of a violent attack on a frail old man Marlene SeverinTemporary judge John Morris QC

On the night he was killed, Johnstone and another of his friends, Josie Kenzie, had been in his flat in Rosemount Terrace.

The court heard how Ms Kenzie left after a row with Mr Powell.

She returned to the flat the next day but was unable to get an answer.

Ms Kenzie tried for two more days before eventually speaking to Johnstone, who she knew as Rita.

Johnstone reassured her that Mr Powell was fine but she eventually called the police on 17 January.

Mr Powell's body was discovered in his living room. He was clutching a pair of scissors in his right hand.

Rape claim

It was later found that he had been stabbed up to 18 times with one blow penetrating his skull.

Police later arrested Johnstone, who denied attacking Mr Powell.

However, during the trial she admitted striking him after claiming that he tried to rape her.

This claim was dismissed by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow.

Passing sentence, temporary judge John Morris QC told Johnstone: "I accept that you claim you acted in self-defence, but the jury rejected that and convicted you of a violent attack on a frail old man.

"For that you will go to jail for 11 years."