Criminal Justice
Thankfully a Scottish court found this psychopath, Gary Lockhart, guilty of murdering his wife and young child, having rejected the ridiculous argument that he acted in a moment of madness and that, somehow, this diminished his responsibility for two brutal killings.
What puzzles me is why he wasn't given a whole life sentence because anyone who can behave in this way deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Garry Lockhart was branded 'wicked' as he was sentenced to life in prison for killing Janet Lockhart and their two-year-old son, Michael
A man who killed his wife and young son in Midlothian has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years.
Garry Lockhart, 33, received a life sentence for killing Janet Lockhart, 29, and their two-year-old son Michael at their home in Bonnyrigg on 28 December 2013.
Judge Lady Wise told Lockhart at the High Court in Edinburgh that his actions had been "wicked".
She said he had paid no regard to their suffering or the value of their lives.
The funeral director had offered a guilty plea to murdering his wife and the culpable homicide of his son.
However, this plea, made on the grounds of diminished responsibility, was rejected by the Crown.
He was found guilty of both murders after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The court had heard that he murdered his wife and son after arriving home from a night out drinking.
Janet Lockhart strangled by husband Garry before son Michael was also killed at their home in Bonnyrigg
He said he had "snapped" after a row with Janet and strangled her.
Lockhart sat on a couch next to her body for a while and then began to think of what would happen to Michael with his mother dead and his father in jail for her murder.
The court heard how Lockhart had said he had not had any thoughts of killing Michael before attacking his wife. It was only after killing his wife that he decided to smother Michael and kill himself.
Lady Wise said: "Your actions have devastated your family and in particular your parents-in-law who have lost a precious daughter and a grandson to whom they were devoted.
"Nothing can be said today that will alleviate in any way the incalculable loss that they, and all those who knew and loved Janet and Michael, have suffered."
The judge added: "To murder a vulnerable child who trusted and depended on you was a particularly wicked, unfathomable act. Your actions now require the imposition of a severe punishment."
Det Ch Insp Scott Cunningham, from Police Scotland's major investigation team, said Janet and Michael's family have been devastated by Lockhart's "incomprehensible actions".
He added: "No sentence can alleviate their pain and I would like to pay tribute to them for their immense dignity and strength throughout the investigation and trial."
He said he had "snapped" after a row with Janet and strangled her.
Lockhart sat on a couch next to her body for a while and then began to think of what would happen to Michael with his mother dead and his father in jail for her murder.
The court heard how Lockhart had said he had not had any thoughts of killing Michael before attacking his wife. It was only after killing his wife that he decided to smother Michael and kill himself.
Lady Wise said: "Your actions have devastated your family and in particular your parents-in-law who have lost a precious daughter and a grandson to whom they were devoted.
"Nothing can be said today that will alleviate in any way the incalculable loss that they, and all those who knew and loved Janet and Michael, have suffered."
The judge added: "To murder a vulnerable child who trusted and depended on you was a particularly wicked, unfathomable act. Your actions now require the imposition of a severe punishment."
Det Ch Insp Scott Cunningham, from Police Scotland's major investigation team, said Janet and Michael's family have been devastated by Lockhart's "incomprehensible actions".
He added: "No sentence can alleviate their pain and I would like to pay tribute to them for their immense dignity and strength throughout the investigation and trial."
More Legal Madness (22 September 2014)
After the madness of the Oscar Pistorius trial here's another unbelievable story from the law courts much closer to home in which a young man from Midlothian, Gary Lockhart, denies murder despite admitting responsibility for killing his wife and child.
‘Mad moment’ as man killed wife and child
Garry and Janet Lockhart Rex Features
By Scotland Staff - The Times
A man charged with murdering his wife and two-year-old son told police it was “just one moment of madness”, a court heard yesterday.
On the second day of Garry Lockhart’s trial at the Edinburgh High Court yesterday the jury and members of Janet’s family watched a recording of him being interviewed by police. He told officers: “It was just one moment of madness. I won’t give up trying to kill myself and there’s nothing you can say or do to me that’s going to change that. What I have done is wrong”.
Lockhart, 33, is charged with murdering his 29-year-old wife Janet and their son, Michael, at their home in South Chesters Lane, in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, on December 28 last year.
Lockhart said that he had drunk about six pints of beer and “numerous shorts” before returning home at about 2am. He admitted being drunk.
Detective Constable Stuart Robertson asked him: “How was Janet?”. “Not happy” he replied and said there was an argument. She worked at the local Tesco store and was due to start there at 4am. Lockhart said she had not wanted him to come back late because she was concerned he would not hear if their son got up.
Janet had started shouting at him, he said. “She tried to go past me or something and I grabbed out. I just snapped. I had my hands on her neck, she was facing me, but then she sunk her teeth into my arm. To counter that I turned her round so she couldn’t bite me. I tightened my grip until that was it.”
Janet, he added had grabbed his groin. “I held her for too long until she fell to the ground.” He said that he could not believe what had happened.
Lockhart said: “I was concerned about Michael growing up with one parent in jail and one parent dead. The only way I could see out of it was if all three of us went.”
When Michael woke up in the morning, Lockhart said: “I talked to him and played with him, just the usual, and then I put the pillow over him.”
The jury heard in a joint minute of agreement that Lockhart had admitted killing them. He denies murder. The trial continues.
