Mother murdered after having abortion

A SCHOOLBOY and two friends who killed a young mother after she aborted his baby have been jailed for a total of more than 30 years.

Nattalie Muir, 21, was subjected to a frenzied attack in a street in Whitburn, West Lothian, last December.

The 15-year-old had sworn revenge on Miss Muir who had become pregnant by him and then had a termination before going back to a former boyfriend.

The teenager and 34-year-old George Stewart yesterday appeared at the High Court in Glasgow after admitting the culpable homicide of Miss Muir.

Emma Merrilees, 20 – who struck the fatal blow during the brutal assault – joined them in the dock after pleading guilty to a murder charge.

Lord Matthews said he was “sick” of the “mindless violence” involved in the incident.

The judge locked up the 15-year-old for six years and Stewart was jailed for eight years and five months.

Merrilees was handed a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum 16 years before she can apply for parole.

The victim’s father Calum Muir, 42, later branded his daughter’s killers “evil cowards”.

He also urged First Minister Alex Salmond and his government to focus more on violent criminals rather than the battle against sectarianism.

Mr Muir said: “I am satisfied enough, but no sentencing will be enough in my eyes.

“Mr Salmond needs to look again at sentencing for knife crimes.

“He has spent time trying to take sectarianism out of football grounds, but songs have never hurt anyone – knives and axes have.”

He added: “We will move on and continue to be a proud family while this rat pack go back to their temporary homes.

“They will always be cowards – evil cowards.”

He said Miss Muir was a “great mum” to her three-year-old daughter and will be “sorely missed”.

The court earlier heard how Miss Muir had been in a relationship with the schoolboy over a four-month period until last October following a split from her long-term boyfriend Thomas Thyne.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: “She became pregnant and decided to terminate the pregnancy. She then got back with Thomas Thyne and that annoyed the 15-year-old who pestered her with phone calls.”

Mr Thyne also received a call from the teenager claiming he was “coming to get him”.

The court was told that the boy – who had been drinking with his co-accused and another woman prior to the killing on 11 December – then spoke about going to Whitburn to “fight” Miss Muir.

A friend’s car was then loaded with a spade and axe and Merrilees brought along a six-inch knife.

Miss Muir and Mr Thyne were walking in the town’s Brucefield Drive when a car pulled up beside them.

Mr Thyne was chased off before the young mum was repeatedly punched and Merrilees then struck her with the blade.

The trio sped off in the car and an injured Miss Muir was eventually discovered by a passer-by.

Mr Prentice said: “He heard the deceased saying what he thought was the word beige, but it is much likely to have been her daughter’s name Paige.

“The deceased then informed the man that she had been stabbed and he dialled 999.”

However, the single stab wound suffered by Miss Muir had severed an artery causing her to bleed to death within minutes.

Lord Matthews said: “All of this because of a few stupid and badly chosen words on the telephone, the effect on you of drink and drugs and the incomprehensible decision by Merrilees to take a knife and use it.”