Man cleared of killing his partner

A MAN was yesterday cleared of killing his partner of 13 years by attacking her and causing her to hit her head against a wall.

At the High Court in Glasgow Alan Hedley, 44, of Hillview Terrace, Newton Stewart, was acquitted of the culpable homicide of 32-year-old Wendy Kelly.

It was alleged that he had killed Ms Kelly by punching her on the head and pushing her causing her head to hit against a wall on 16 May, 2010.

Mr Hedley denied this and claimed he woke up to find her lying in what appeared to be a drunken sleep.

He said that after returning from buying cigarettes in the morning her condition had deterioriated and Ms Kelly died the following day in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.