AN Alloa mum who killed her partner in a row over music has been jailed for more than six years.

Andrea Neil stabbed Robert Hamilton after they argued about whether to play Kenny Rogers or Bob Dylan at their Alloa home last May.

She then desperately begged for help before Mr Hamilton (46) died after a single blow through the heart.

Neil admitted a charge of culpable homicide last month after initially being accused of murder.

Judge Lord Pentland last week locked her up for a total of six years and eight months.

He told the 34-year-old mum she had displayed a ‘considerable’ degree of violence although it was accepted her actions were not pre-meditated.

Neil mouthed ‘I love you’ to family as she was led to the cells. One female relative raced out the courtroom crying hysterically.

Tragedy had struck after the couple, who had been together for two years, rowed in the early hours of May 10 at their home in Mull Court.

Jock Thomson QC, prosecuting, said: “There was an argument about what music to play. It got so heated that the accused asked Mr Hamilton to leave, but he refused.

“Mr Hamilton attempted to throw a television at Neil. He then pulled her to the kitchen floor by her hair and a struggle ensued.

“She grabbed at a knife which was lying on a kitchen counter and stabbed him on the left side of the his chest.

“Mr Hamilton staggered a few steps and then collapsed in the hallway.”

Neil realised Mr Hamilton was badly hurt and called a friend asking for help. When the friend arrived, a heavily bloodstained Neil yelled: “I think he is dead.”

The killer then contacted Mr Hamilton’s sister Evelyn and told her she had ‘plunged’ her boyfriend.

Mr Hamilton was rushed to hospital where doctors battled in vain to save his life. He died after it was found the knife had penetrated the left side of the heart and he suffered massive blood loss.

Although it was not revealed in court, an insider said one of the couple wanted to play
Kenny Rogers while the other preferred Bob Dylan. The source added: “It is tragic that a fight over something like that ended in such a manner.”

Donald Findlay QC, defending, said alcohol had played its part that morning and that

Neil was ‘profoundly sorry’ for the loss of a man who was ‘important’ to her.

He added: “Miss Neil has displayed due and proper contrition. This is a sad case for a whole variety of reasons.”

Lord Pentland said the sentence would have been nine years, but for her guilty plea.

He told Neil: “This was a drunken argument apparently precipitated over the choice of music to be played in the early hours of the morning.

“While this was not murder, this displayed a considerable measure of violence on your part.”

	26-04-2010 10:15
	but who wanted to listen to what?

Rab

	06-05-2010 06:35
	she obviously deserves to be locked up - premeditated or not this woman is a danger to society - throw away the key!

anon

	16-08-2010 11:30
	I dont think this is a laughin matter. This woman had just got close to 7 years for what reads to me like an act of self-defence. Why is she a danger to society anon? you obviously know more about her than the story informs. probably had a run in with her in the past."Throw away the key"? Come on, that's just draconian talk!

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