Pensioner jailed for life for murder of Patti Henry in Girvan
Last updated 9th Nov 2021
A pensioner has been jailed for life for the murder of mum Patti Henry.
George Metcalff, 71, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh this morning.
He will spend 22 years and four months behind bars.
Patti disappeared in November 2017, and was reported missing in January 2018.
Metcalff was convicted last month of Patti's murder, and of raping her and several other women over the course of five decades.
Metcalff a 'predator' who isolated Patti
During the two-and-a-half week trial Patricia's family, including her mum Ann and her daughter Alannah, told the court of the abuse Patti suffered at the hands of Metcalff and told about how she became afraid to do things like take public transport because of his manipulation.
Speaking exclusively to West FM, Ann said: "She'd kept telling her daughter Alannah and different people that he kept putting his arms around her neck.
"He is a predator, a total predator. And I knew she wasn't with him in a sexual relationship."
"Control, control, control. My Patti would think nothing about getting the bus into town, or whatever, and she couldn't go for the bus. I'd say to her 'What's wrong with you?' and she would say 'Oh I couldn't go on a bus now', and I'd say 'I don't get that'."
"He was always there, and nobody thought anything about that at the beginning, it was maybe a wee repair job, but as the years rolled on, he was never away, and was plying her with alcohol."
Speaking after Metcalff's conviction, Detective Superintendent Suzanne Chow said: “George Metcalff’s conviction brings to an end his 50-year reign of abuse against women which culminated in his murder of Patricia Henry.
"The bravery and willingness to speak out after so many years about their own or their loved ones experiences at Metcalff’s hands has resulted in his conviction not only for what he did to his partners but also for Patricia’s murder."