Glasgow man admits stabbing his wife to death in paternity row
A Glasgow man brutally stabbed his wife to death – after wrongly believing he was not the father of their children.
A Glasgow man brutally stabbed his wife to death – after wrongly believing he was not the father of their children.
Robert Kerr attacked Xin Xin Liu at their home in the upmarket suburb of Newton Mearns.
The 39 year-old struck as his two sons slept upstairs – and went on to make himself a hot drink while Xin Xin lay dead.
A judge heard how the mum suffered more than 70 wounds during the horrific killing in April this year.
Kerr today faced a murder allegation as he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.
But, prosecutors instead accepted his guilty plea to the reduced plea of culpable homicide on the grounds of his diminished responsibility.
It had been concluded that Kerr was suffering from “an abnormality of the mind” at the time of the fatal attack.
The first offender will return to the dock in November.
A group of Xin Xin's relatives were in court today. Some wept as the grim details of her death were revealed.
The mum had moved to Scotland from China around 15 years ago to study law at Aberdeen University.
It was there she met Kerr, who was doing a computer course. They went on to get married in 2003.
Kerr was latterly a lecturer at West College Scotland in Paisley while Xin Xin was training to be a translator.
They were described as a “quiet and private couple” with family not aware of any problems between them.
But, in early April this year – weeks before the killing – Kerr had contacted his GP complaining of stress in respect of “work and personal issues”.
He added he was suffering from anxiety, insomnia and spoke about “paranoid feelings”.
However - just four days prior to the attack – Kerr spoke to a nurse and said he had been feeling much better and appeared to be sounding “chirpier”.
It changed on April 26 when Kerr – wearing a dressing gown - fatally attacked Xin Xin as their children slept.
Just before midnight, he then dialled 999 and admitted: “I have just killed my wife. I murdered her in a stabbing frenzy.”
He went on to state there was “blood all over the place”.
Police discovered Xin Xin lying on the kitchen floor with a knife still in her body.
After being held, Kerr then told officers: “I found out tonight they were not mine.”
Prosecutor Jane Farquharson said he had “suspicions” that a friend was the dad of his children.
But, Miss Farquharson told the court: “A paternity test recently carried out...has since confirmed that Robert Kerr is the biological father.”
A number of blood-stained items were found at the couple's house including a milk carton.
The advocate depute said: “Kerr has since admitted that he had made himself a hot drink after this incident.”
A post mortem later revealed Xin Xin had suffered a total of approximately 76 wounds.
The court heard today that Kerr has since been receiving treatment at the State Hospital at Carstairs.
One doctor concluded that his “ability to control his conduct” that night was “substantially impaired by reason of abnormality of mind”
He was said to be suffering from a “delusional disorder” including his belief about the paternity of his children.
Just over an hour before her killer husband dialled 999, Xin Xin had been joking with Chinese friends online.
The court heard this came after she pulled out of plans to meet for dinner with them days later.
Advocate depute MIss Farquharson said Xin Xin told how she could "no longer attend" and was "joking that the rest of the group would have to eat more".
Judge Lord Boyd today imposed an interim compulsion order for Kerr to remain at Carstairs.
The case was adjourned until November.