Former partner of Kilmarnock man tells court she witnessed him set his mother on fire
William Kelly denies murdering his mother Catherine in Kilmarnock earlier this year
The former partner of a Kilmarnock man accused of murdering his mother has told his trial she witnessed the moment he set the 71-year-old on fire.
Eleanor Banks, 44, told the High Court in Glasgow that 41-year-old William Kelly was pouring liquid from a petrol can all over his mother Catherine Kelly who was lying face down on the living room floor at the house they shared in Kilmaurs Road in the town in February this year.
Mrs Banks told prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC: “William was emptying a petrol can onto his mum – all over her – and I couldn't stop him. “I was standing screaming 'You're going to kill your mum' and he was saying 'die'” The liquid smelled like petrol.
“He went down and he set fire at the bottom of her legs.
“She just went up like an inferno. I've never seen anything like it. In the blink of an eye she was on fire.”
Mrs Banks, who was in a relationship with Kelly for two years, was giving evidence at his trial.
He denies murdering his mother by assaulting her and then pouring petrol over her body and setting it on fire.
Kelly also denies assaulting his mother and Mrs Banks.
The court heard that Mrs Banks, Kelly and his mother had been out earlier that evening at a 21st birthday party for one of Mrs Banks' sons.
They left the party by taxi and headed home. The jury heard that Mrs Kelly fell outside the venue and again outside her home in Kilmaurs Road.
When they got inside Kelly accused his mother of embarrassing him at the party, Mrs Banks claimed.
She said: “He flung Cathy onto an armchair and just kicked off right away. Roaring and shouting that she was an embarrassment. He kicked her on the legs and punched her on the side of the head.”
Mrs Banks claimed that Kelly then flung his mother face down on the floor and assaulted her again while shouting 'Die, you've ruined my life, I hate you, I can't get a life for you.'
She added: “It was horrible.”
The court heard that Mrs Banks left Kelly alone with his mother while she went to the toilet.
She told the jury that when she came back he was pouring liquid over his mother's body and he then set it alight.
Mrs Banks added: “He was standing at his mother's legs with his head in his hands saying: 'Oh, my God.'
“I went into the kitchen and got a glass of water and came back into the living room. The curtains and everything was on fire.
“William was still standing there. He was trying to grab his mother by the legs and drag her out, but she was in flames.”
The trial before judge Lady Stacey continues.