Pensioner Relives Moment Partner was Murdered in their Home

AN 86-year-old man's relived the night his partner of 30 years was stabbed to death by an intruder. Norman Busby, a retired police sergeant, told a murder trial that he was stabbed three times in the chest when he opened the front door of his Crookston home after hearing someone knocking. Mr Busby told advocate depute Bruce Erroch, prosecuting, he opened the door slightly and saw a young man who proceeded to barge his way into the house at Raeswood Drive, Glasgow. The OAP told the High Court in Glasgow: "He said: 'Have you got your car keys, have you got your f***ing car keys.' "I said what's wrong have you bumped my car. I then said I didn't give my car keys to anyone and turned to shut the door. "He pushed the door hard bashing it and I staggered back. He had a knife in each hand. He immediately stabbed me several time in my chest.." Mr Busby was giving evidence at the trial of Paul McManus, 22, who denies murdering 51-year-old Isabelle Sanders and attempting to murder her partner Mr Busby at their home on April 9. The former policeman said he collapsed to the ground and tried to reach for the telephone which was on a small table but was unable to reach it. At this point his partner who had been upstairs in bed come to the top of the stairs having heard noises and saw Mr Busby lying on the floor in the living room. Mr Busby said: "Isabelle screamed and ran down the stairs and she saw him standing there. I was lying on the floor covered in blood. "She saw him stealing stuff and she tried to push him out the front door and he had his knives and he stabbed her several times. "She fell to the ground covered in blood. I reached out but she was dead. I have an alarm button and I managed to press it. "A voice said what is it and I said: 'There's been a murder I need police and an ambulance.' "As soon as he heard that he grabbed stuff and ran out the door." Mr Busby described the knife blows to Isabelle as "quite vicious," and he demonstrated to the jury how the intruder, who had a knife in both hands, stabbed her. He said that he was unable to describe the intruder other than he thought than he was in his twenties. The jury of nine women and six men heard that Isabelle worked in the Bank of Scotland's international division. She and Mr Busby met and set up home together after meeting in the bank. Mr Busby worked there for about five years after retiring from the police. Isabelle was involved in a lot of church work including serving in a cafe at an old folk's home and was a member of a hand bell ringing group. Mr Busby said: "She was a good Christian."

Mr Busby was asked by prosecutor Mr Erroch: "Where did he stab you?" and replied: "Three times across the chest." Mr Erroch then asked Mr Busby: "Where were you when Isabelle was being stabbed?" and he said: "I was still on the floor." After the incident Mr Busby was taken to Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, where he was treated for his injuries. When asked how long he spent in hospital Mr Busby said: "Three or four weeks." Mr Busby was asked if this had been a very traumatic incident and replied: "Very much so." He went on: "This was personal. I dealt with a lot of things in the police dead bodies and so on, but this was a personal thing and very traumatic." Defence QC Gordon Jackson asked Mr Busby if there could have been two intruders and he replied: "No I'm pretty sure it was just the one man, but I can't be 100 per cent." The trial before judge Lord Armstrong continues.