Man admits killing Thai woman at Glasgow SECC

The Clyde Auditorium, also known as the Armadillo, on the banks of the River Clyde. Picture: TSPL

Clive Carter was back in the dock today for a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

Carter is accused of murdering Khanokporn Satjawat within the female toilets at the city’s SECC complex on November 12 last year.

His QC Ian Duguid entered a guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide on his behalf.

It is said to be on the grounds that Carter’s responsibility was diminished at the time.

But, prosecutor Murdoch MacTaggart told the court: “That plea is not acceptable to the Crown.”

Judge Lord Turnbull fixed another hearing for August.

Mrs Satjawat (42) died while attending a conference for HIV drug therapy at the venue known as the Armadillo.

Carter, of Motherwell, Lanarkshire, is believed to have been working as a security guard at the time.

Prosecutors allege Carter repeatedly struck Mrs Satjawat on the head and body with a fire extinguisher.

The 35 year-old faces a further charge that he attempted to defeat the ends of justice to try and avoid arrest.

It is claimed he cleaned blood and hair from the alleged murder weapon in a glass washing room at the Clyde Auditorium.

Carter is also said to have hid a blazer he was wearing in a nearby porta-cabin.

He is then alleged to have told a number of people - including police - that he had seen a male carrying a fire extinguisher and taken it from him on the floor where the female toilets were.

It is claimed he knew those statements to be “false and untrue”.

Carter is also charged with committing a breach of the peace by leaving a woman in “fear and alarm” at the Holiday Inn Express in the city’s Stockwell Street on November 4.

It is alleged that knowing she was alone, Carter claimed to be attending to a fire in her room despite knowing there was no blaze.

He is said to have repeatedly knocked on the door and entered uninvited while holding a fire extinguisher.