Man jailed over rape and murder of frail ‘grandmother’ figure

A YOUTH who raped and killed a pensioner he regarded as a grandmother has been sentenced to detention for 12 years and eight months.

A court heard that Jay Soso’s crimes were “almost incapable of explanation”, but it was suggested his behaviour might fit new research which found heavy cannabis use could lower the IQ of young teenagers.

Relatives of his victim, Marie Reid, 63, welcomed the sentence, and described her as a woman with a big heart who would do anything for anybody.

Soso had met Mrs Reid’s son, Paul Reid, 31, after her body was discovered, and offered his sympathy. Mr Reid said: “I have got so much anger towards Jay. To know he shook my hand and gave me condolences, that gets me even more angry towards him. I could not believe he could do such a thing as this.”

Soso, 20, admitted the rape and culpable homicide of Mrs Reid at sheltered housing in Easter Drylaw Way, Edinburgh, in November last year.

He had been a neighbour some years earlier, and Mrs Reid treated him as a grandson. Her body was found four days after the attack, when family and neighbours became worried they had not heard from her.

Tests revealed Mrs Reid had been raped, and Soso was linked through DNA evidence. Mrs Reid had a number of health problems and the cause of her death could not be ascertained, although pathologists said the rape had made a contribution.

The defence counsel, Brian McConnachie, QC, told the High Court in Edinburgh it was difficult to say anything which mitigated the offence. He said: “It is clear he is someone who functions at a very, very low level, so far as intelligence is concerned.”