Man accused of murdering his mother 'regularly punched and kicked her', court hears
William Kelly is accused of setting 71-year-old Catherine on fire
Last updated 29th Nov 2017
A court’s heard a Kilmarnock man accused of murdering his mother by setting her on regularly punched and kicked the pensioner.
41-year-old William Kelly’s former partner Eleanor Banks was giving evidence at his trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
He denies killing his mother, 71-year-old Catherine Kelly, at the home they shared in Kilmaurs Road, Kilmarnock, on February 11, by assaulting her and then pouring petrol over her body and setting her on fire.
Mrs Banks told the High Court in Glasgow that she had been in a relationship with Kelly, whom she met on a Christmas night out in 2014 following the death of her husband.
She said that she never lived with Kelly but would regularly spend time at the house in Kilmaurs Road with him and his mother.
She told prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC: “I loved Cathy. She was just a lovely person.”
Mrs Banks said, in evidence, that she often saw Kelly assaulting his mother. She said he became angry if his mother, who was grieving for her late husband, drank.
She added: “He got that angry he would hit her. He would get very angry and just attack her. He would punch her and kick her.”
The witness told the jury that the violence got worse as time went on and she said that she was also assaulted by Kelly and added: “I didn't leave because I loved William. But it was like walking on eggshells.”
Mrs Banks said that at the end of 2016 months before she died Kelly attacked his mother again.
She said: “William gave Cathy a really bad beating. It was the worst beating out of any of the assaults.”
Miss Edwards asked her: “What did he do,” and Mrs Banks replied: “He punched and kicked her continuously.”
The court was told Kelly punched his mother and the body and head and kicked her on the legs and then hauled her upstairs to her bedroom when he again assaulted her.
Mrs Banks said: “It was more violence. She was beside her bed and started off standing but she ended up on the floor.
“He was calling her an old alkie b**.”
Mrs Banks told the jury that Kelly also assaulted her.
The trial before judge Lady Stacey continues.