Man killed fiancée two days after jail release

A MAN who battered his fiancée to death just two days after he was released from a six-month sentence for assaulting her has been jailed for life.

At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, David McLeish, 46, was convicted of murdering Donna Black, 43, on 11 December last year at Howcraigs Court, Clydebank.

Judge Lord Bracadale ordered McLeish to serve at least 17 years before he is eligible for parole.He told McLeish: "This was a prolonged, sustained and vicious attack on the woman you claimed to love."

As McLeish was led away to begin his sentence, a member of Ms Black's family said: "Hope you rot in hell."

Ms Black, who was 5ft 3in, was left with horrific injuries after McLeish, who is 6ft 4in and weighs 18st, punched and kicked her with such force that he caused 13 rib fractures and brain damage.

He also hit Ms Black over the head with a frying pan.

The beating caused five large tears in her bowel and one in her spleen.

As McLeish battered Ms Black, she managed to make a frantic 999 call to police, saying: "I'm being murdered."

Police had to kick down the door to get in, and found Ms Black dying and McLeish covered in her blood in a bedroom.

Yesterday, advocate depute Alistair Carmichael, prosecuting, told the court that McLeish had 57 previous convictions which included assault.

Mr Carmichael revealed that McLeish had been released from a six-month sentence for assaulting Ms Black just two days before he killed her.

McLeish claimed he found Ms Black, whom he described as the love of his life, dying in the flat when he returned from the shops. The jury took just 60 minutes to find him guilty of her murder.