Man jailed for murdering his ex-partner and attempting to kill teenager

UPDATED - 15:03, WED 31ST MARCH

A cage fighter who murdered his ex-partner and tried to kill the 15-year-old boy with whom she was having sex has been jailed for 35 years.

Jealous ex-convict Paul Robson, 50, launched a terrifying and sustained attack on teacher Caroline Kayll, 47, and the teenager at her home in Linton, Northumberland, last November.

Robson - who had blackmailed Mrs Kayll about her illegal relationship with the boy - kicked her in the head while wearing heavy work boots, and may have strangled her.

She could not survive the catastrophic brain injuries he inflicted.

On Wednesday the cage fighting coach and former MMA fighter was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Lavender did not accept there was any provocation for the attack, telling Robson:

"You were upset when you learned of her relationship but you had known of it for over two weeks when you chose to drive from Glasgow to her home''.

Branded "a cruel and calculating coward'' by the prosecution, Robson chopped off Mrs Kayll's hair in clumps and slashed her on the buttocks.

He also repeatedly attacked the boy with scissors and a meat cleaver, sprayed them both with ammonia and stole their phones.

Nicholas Lumley QC, prosecuting, said:

"He was never going to do anything other than ruin her.''

Robson, who has 21 convictions for 92 offences over more than 30 years, denied murder, claiming it was the boy who attacked Mrs Kayll, and said he struggled to get the better of the less powerfully-built teenager in the ensuing brawl.

The court heard that Robson had a clandestine relationship with Mrs Kayll while he was behind bars in HMP Northumberland.

They lived together but split up weeks before the murder and he blackmailed her when he found out about the illegal relationship she had started with the teenager, who cannot be identified.

She was to confide in a friend that Robson was blackmailing her for #35,000 and that her ex was "going to ruin her'' and tell her school, the jury heard.

Over 10 days in November, she transferred £29,000 to Robson and took out a £10,500 loan, having previously been solvent.

On November 15, Robson drove three hours from Glasgow to Linton, having bought a locksmith's bar, a magnetic GPS car tracker, screwdrivers, pliers, a wrench and the ammonia which he decanted into a washing-up liquid bottle.

CCTV showed him "prowling'' outside her house.

Witnesses heard a female voice shout "get out'' and later that evening Robson knocked on his former neighbour's house to say "Caroline was in a bad way'', Mr Lumley said.

He then fled to Glasgow and remained at large while police made appeals to trace him before he was arrested.

Robson, who was convicted of murder, attempted murder and blackmail, went on the run for six days while his ex-partner's life ebbed away in hospital.

TUESDAY 30TH MARCH

A violent killer will be jailed for life after he was today convicted of murdering his ex-partner in a jealous rage.

Paul Robson, 50, has been convicted by a jury of beating to death Northumberland teacher Caroline Kayll at her home in the village of Linton.

He has also been found guilty of repeatedly stabbing a 15-year-old boy at the property after discovering he was in a sexual relationship with his ex-partner.

A court was told that on the evening of November 15, Robson attended the address he used to share with Caroline, 47, and found the pair together inside.

He overpowered Caroline, knocked her to the floor and then repeatedly kicked her in the head causing the fatal injuries.

Robson then took a pair of scissors to her lifeless body and cut off her hair, before he turned his attention to the teenage boy.

The court was told how the frenzied thug stabbed and slashed him more than 40 times with scissors and knives before he fled the address with his victims’ phones.

He told a neighbour, who he knew to be a nurse, that he had “done something and she’s in a bad way” and then got into his car and left the area.

The killer then went on the run for six days before he was located by police in Glasgow and arrested on suspicion of murder.

Robson, of Stanley Street, Wallsend, denied charges of murder and attempted murder but today (Tuesday) he was convicted by a jury on both offences.

He was also convicted of blackmail after forcing Caroline to pay him £29,000 in the weeks leading up to the attack by threatening to reveal details of her relationship with the teenager.

Following the case, senior investigating officer at Northumbria Police, Detective Inspector Graeme Barr, welcomed the guilty verdicts.

He said:

“This is one of the most violent offences I have investigated in my policing career and I welcome the guilty verdicts of the jury.

“Paul Robson has been fuelled by a jealous rage and attended his former address that night with one thing on his mind.

“His attack on Caroline and his teenage victim was pre-meditated and demonstrated horrendous levels of violence.

“There is no doubt he wanted to kill or permanently disfigure both of his victims. He succeeded in killing his former partner and has left his teenage victim scarred for life.

“Not only that, but he spent the days that followed trying to avoid police before attempting to pin Caroline’s murder on a vulnerable, teenage boy.

“Those actions have put the teenage victim, his family and Caroline’s family through the ordeal of a trial and I want to praise the bravery they have shown throughout these proceedings.

“I know that for them no punishment will be enough, but today’s verdicts do mean that Paul Robson will be handed a life sentence.

“There is a very real chance he will never experience freedom again and I hope that can bring some justice to his victims.”

During his trial, career criminal Robson told the court he first met Caroline when imprisoned in HMP Northumberland in 2005 and it was then that their clandestine relationship began .

Robson was further jailed for 10 years in 2014 for drugs and firearms offences and returned to HMP Northumberland where he was re-united with Caroline.

At this time she employed as a teacher in the education department of the prison and the pair re-ignited their secret affair.

Robson was released in 2018 but this time their relationship did not stop and they soon moved in with each other at the property in Linton.

The pair remained together until October 2020 but separated when Robson became aware of Caroline’s relationship with the teenager.

The court was told how Robson then took the opportunity to blackmail Caroline, threatening to “ruin” her if she did not pay him.

In a bid to ensure his silence a desperate Caroline transferred £29,000 to him – but just two weeks later she was dead.

Robson will now be handed a life sentence at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday (tomorrow).