Glasgow murder trial: victim had 78 injuries after partner's brutal attack

Alexander Brennan, 54, is on trial for the murder of Brodie MacGregor, 23, who suffered 78 injuries in her Springburn flat in August 2024.

78 injuries found on murder victim in Glasgow High Court case

Brodie MacGregor, 23, sustained 78 separate injuries to her head and body during an attack by her partner at her flat in Springburn, Glasgow, on 26 August 2024, a murder trial has heard, bbc.com reports.

Alexander Brennan, 54, denies murdering MacGregor and has entered a plea of not guilty at the High Court in Glasgow.

Forensic pathologist Dr Julie McAdam told the court that the cause of death was "extensive facial injuries". A post-mortem examination revealed a series of "blunt force injuries, bruises, abrasions and lacerations," she said.

Prosecutors allege Brennan punched and slapped MacGregor and inflicted blunt force trauma by means unknown. The murder charge further states that he repeatedly struck her with glass bottles, some of which were broken, and also hit her with a microwave plate.

McAdam described the severity of MacGregor's facial injuries to the jury. "Injuries to her mouth would have bled heavily," the pathologist said. "She lost a considerable amount of blood in her airway — her airway was full of blood as was her throat, gullet and stomach. She has tried to swallow blood and there was evidence that she breathed blood in her lungs."

The court also heard that MacGregor sustained a brain injury, said to have been caused by kicks or blows from glass bottles, as well as potential defensive injuries to her hands.

McAdam told jurors that MacGregor would have had a survival window of approximately one hour after sustaining her injuries. When prosecutor Alan Parfery asked whether timely emergency intervention could have saved her life, McAdam said: "It is obvious with getting medical treatment you are more likely to survive. Her injuries were severe but there was potential for survival."

In his closing speech, Parfery described MacGregor's death as a "stunning act of brutality." He told the jury: "It was a sustained assault using weapons. There was intent to injure Brodie MacGregor with wicked recklessness as to whether she lived or died."

The Crown case concluded with three charges against Brennan deleted, leaving the murder charge as the sole matter for the jury to determine.

Brennan's defence counsel, Brian McConnachie KC, told jurors there was "no dispute" that the incident took place, but urged them to consider whether his client was guilty of murder or the lesser charge of culpable homicide. "This is not a whodunnit as far as we are concerned," McConnachie said. "It is not whether a crime has been committed, it is what crime has been committed. In essence, the choice you have to make is between murder and culpable homicide — both are very serious offences."

The trial, presided over by Lord Scott, is set to continue on Monday.

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Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)