Appeal judges cut war veteran's murder sentence
John Haugen had been sentenced to 19 years for stabbing Grace Kissell in May in a row about money
An appeal judge has cut the sentence handed down to a former squaddie from Renfrewshire who murdered a mum of one following a row over money.
41 year old John Haugen was ordered to serve at least 19 years after he was convicted of stabbing Grace Kissell 27 times in May 2015.
The veteran, who served in Northern Ireland and Iraq, took Ms Kissell's life at a flat he rented from her in Cowal Drive, Linwood, on 14 May.
He rowed with the 32-year-old childcare worker because she allegedly owed him £2,000.
During proceedings, judge Lady Rae described the attack as "horrific and frenzied".
She gave Haugen a life sentence and said he would have to serve at least 19 years before he could apply for parole.
At the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, judge Lord Carloway reduced the punishment part of Haugen's sentence from 19 years to 16 years.
The Lord Justice Clerk said Lady Rae's decision to impose 19 years was "excessive."
In a written judgement issued by court, Lord Carloway - who is currently Scotland's most senior judge- wrote:
"There is no doubt that, as the judge reports, this was a 'frenzied attack of a most brutal nature' which required the imposition of a substantial punishment part attached to the life sentence.
"However, as was submitted in the course of the appeal, the appellant has no significant criminal record.
"The murder was not premeditated, nor did it involve taking a weapon into the public arena. The appellant made no attempt to conceal the crime and telephoned the police shortly after the incident.
"There were no other offences involved with the crime. There was a degree of remorse expressed.
"The court will allow the appeal, take as its starting point a punishment part of 19 years and discount that to one of 16 years."