Woman found guilty of murdering her sister in Ayrshire

The sister of a disabled woman has been jailed for a minimum 23 years after being convicted of her brutal murder.

Lynnette Greenop left Sharon Greenop to suffer an agonising death at their home in Troon, Ayrshire.

The helpless 46 year-old had multiple rib and neck fractures following a lengthy campaign of neglect and abuse.

Her badly decomposing body then lay in the house for weeks as Lynnette carried on “business as usual”.

This included Lynette pocketing her dead relative's benefit money.

She even went to music gig with niece Shayla Greenop, 20, – with claims she introduced her aunt as “mum”.

Sharon's corpse was only found in November 2016 when a next door neighbour reported a foul stench in his home.

But, when police turned up, they were told Sharon was “sleeping”.

A jury heard how Lynnette, 40, went on to confess to a former neighbour: “Aye, I did it.”

Lynnette had denied murder during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

She effectively blamed Shayla – who had also been accused of the killing.

Lynnette was found guilty while the jury found Shayla not proven of murder.

Jurors heard how Sharon was registered disabled after suffering a spinal injury in 2009.

The mum initially lived at the house in Troon with Shayla while carers gave daily help to Sharon.

Lynnette – who had stayed elsewhere in Ayrshire – later moved in.

A change in both Sharon and the state of the house was soon noted. A number of animals lived there as well including a three legged dog and a rabbit.

The mum – described as a friendly woman who enjoyed doing jigsaws – became “frightened” and “isolated” in her own home.

It was claimed the aunt and niece would “side together” against Sharon.

Lynnette and Shayla were said to tuck into Chinese takeaways while Sharon sat with no food.

Lynnette was described in court as an “aggressive, overbearing, confrontational, troublesome individual”

Sharon's other sister Diane Hogg told jurors how she became concerned about the mum's “dirty” home.

The 43 year-old recalled: “It was just the overall state. It was very unclean.”

“There was a lack of food in the house. The washing machine had been broken for six months – could have been fixed no problem.

“Decoration was just being ignored.”

But, the bullying of frail Sharon became far more sinister.

Sharon was eventually left in the hands of her sister and daughter after the official carers were stopped.

Lynnette had made a string of bogus complaints as the hold over the mum tightened.

Sharon and Lynnette's OAP father told the trial how he visited the house in August 2016.

Derek Greenop, 72, recalled finding Sharon with a black eye.

She initially claimed to have fallen – but then admitted: “Lynnette hit me.”

Asked what he thought when he saw Sharon injured, the retired baker said: “I felt terrible.”

Shayla's former friend Chloe Craig was possibly the last person to see Sharon alive.

She first had concerns in early 2016 when she also saw Sharon with a black eye.

She spoke to Shayla who “thought” Lynnette was responsible.

Chloe told the jury: “I asked Lynnette: 'Did you do it?' She said yes she did because Shayla won't so she will.”

She said Lynnette was laughing and “seemed to find it funny”.

The final time she visited in September 2016 Chloe recalled Sharon was in bed crying.

Chloe told the jury: “She said she did not want to be there and did not want Lynnette near her.”

Prosecutors stated Sharon was assaulted on various occasions between September 8 and November 10 2016.

It is thought she was bludgeoned by “objects or objects”, choked as well as injuries also inflicted “by means unknown”.

The jury heard she was then left to die in “extreme pain” as no medical help was sought.

A pathologist said Sharon may have lain dead for several weeks – possibly from around mid-October.

Lynnette carried on her normal lives despite the grim reality in the terraced house.

She continued to bank Sharon's £390-a-week benefits cash. Lynnette also had a weekly £62 carers allowance.

Lynnette and Shayla also went to a concert at the Fanny by Gaslight pub in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.

Shayla's music lecturer David Baxter was playing in a band there.

Recalling seeing the then student, the 33 year-old said: “She was with a lady. I briefly said hello, but I do recall her saying it was her mum.”

Any visitors were meantime steered away from the house.

A number of scented candles were burnt around the home to try and mask the increasing odour and bought fly spray.

The alarm was eventually raised by next door neighbour Philip Martin.

He had been told by Lynnette that Sharon was “not that good” and had “taken to her bed”.

It was in October 2016, he first noticed a rancid smell in one of his bedrooms.

The stench spread around his home, but he “could not locate anything”.

Asked was he worried, he told the court: “Yes – my concern was Sharon was actually dead.”

It was on November 10, he eventually went to the police.

Officers – initially told Sharon was ill – were allowed in by Lynnette.

They then made the gruesome discovery of Sharon's remains in the blood-splattered room – with a freshly made sandwich on the floor beside her.

PC Ryan McIntyre recalled the “smell of death”.

The officer went on: “My colleague asked what had happened up there.

“Lynnette replied: 'What do you mean?'. She appeared genuinely inquisitive.

“My colleague said: 'Your sister is dead'. She replied: 'She is not dead. She is just sleeping'.”

A weeping Lynnette then claimed she had heard Sharon moving about days earlier.

Sharon was later found to have suffered a horrific death.

She had 19 rib fractures and serious injuries to her neck. The attacks are thought to have happened as Sharon lay infirm in her bedroom.

Pathologist Gemma Kemp said: “I think with the distribution and the different ages (of fractures) these were caused by inflicted trauma...not accidental, a deliberate act.”

Both Lynnette and Shayla were later charged with murder.

But, further damning evidence emerged.

Former neighbour Martin Hamilton confronted Lynnette after finding the court indictment detailing the accusation.

Lynnette then told him: “Aye, I did it...aye, I did it.”

Police also found a chilling message written on Sharon's bedroom door.

They included: “Death is a permanent solution to a temporary problem”.

The case against Shayla centred on claims she had acted in “concert” with her killer aunt.

It was claimed Shayla – who wanted to be known as Ryan and Mallak - had trawled online for information of serial killers

These included Tobin, Manuel and Robert Black.

Other searches were said to be: “what does a dead body smell like” and “how long is the integrity of a crime scene kept”.

Shayla was once allegedly heard stating to Sharon: “I wish you were dead then we would not have to suffer all that comes with you”.

Scrawlings written on walls included: “I hate my mum” and “She is a fat w**”.

Neither Lynnette or Shayla gave evidence during the trial.

Lynnette showed no emotion as she was found guilty.

Lady Carmichael told her: “Sharon Greenop died after what must have been weeks of pain and fear.

• Troon
• Murder
• sharon greenop