Jenny Methven murder trial: I’m scared of getting blame for what I didn’t do – accused’s ‘suicide’ note

Published on 14/08/2012 01:19

THE man accused of murdering 80-year-old Jenny Methven wrote an apparent suicide note claiming that he was scared of getting blamed for something he hadn’t done.

William Kean, 46, known as Billy, said in the handwritten letter that he thought he was being followed and was scared someone was going to kill him. Kean, from Blairgowrie, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow and denies murdering Mrs Methven at her cottage at Forteviot, Perthshire, on 20 February.

The jury has already heard that Kean cut his throat with a craft knife, slashed a wrist and took an overdose of paracetamol while working at a house in the village of Woodside, Perthshire on 19 March.

The note was read out in court yesterday. Kean spoke of his love for his family and the fact he was feeling depressed. He says: “I’m writing this cos I’m scared of getting the blame for something I’ve never done. I’ve always loved working, helping folk, caring person, but I felt on Friday and today I was being followed and I’m scared someone was going to kill me or something.

“I just got a feeling I’ve never got that before. I’ve never done anything untoward, but I might have just imagined it, I hope so.”

Later in the letter, he states: “I’m not guilty of anything in life, myself I’ve tried to build business up and help folk.”

The court also heard yesterday that the car used by Kean was seen heading towards Forteviot on the day Mrs Methven died. Pc Stewart Ramsay said that on examining CCTV footage from a newsagents in Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, he saw the silver Peugeot 206 heading towards Forteviot just before 10am.

Dr Amy Bingham, 28, was on duty at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth when Kean was admitted on 21 March after being transferred from Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. On being asked if he had spoken to her, the GP said: “He said he had taken an overdose of paracetamol.”

Meanwhile, fingerprint examiner Claire Echevarria, 31, told the court that Kean’s fingerprint was found on a phone on the wall of the kitchen where Mrs Methven’s body was discovered. In her opinion, Kean’s finger was wet with blood when he touched the phone.

Kean is also accused of stealing about £15,000 from Mrs Methven’s home on 14 September last year. It is also alleged that he attempted to defeat the ends of justice between 20 February and 28 March by pouring bleach on to a pair of bloodstained trousers, cutting a pocket from the trousers and then hiding them in the eaves of a garage in Blairgowrie, Perthshire.

Kean is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice between 13 and 19 March by failing to turn up at Perth police headquarters to have his fingerprints taken for elimination purposes and repeatedly cutting his fingertips and palms to prevent police taking usable samples.

Kean denies all the charges against him. The trial before Lord Glennie continues.