Woman kicked to death in row over going to shops

A MOTHER was battered to death after she fell out with her friend over not going to a shop, a court has heard.

Amanda Leiper, 38, was kicked in the head and body after an argument with 63-year-old David Mullen in his flat.

She was kicked to death by his daughter’s secret lesbian lover after she called him lazy because he had refused to go to a shop.

Ann-Marie Mullen, 24, slapped and kicked her several times. Her lover Alix Wilson then killed the mother-of-five by kicking her head with such force it “bounced off the wall”.

The two women went out to a bar to carry on drinking, leaving Ms Leiper seriously injured on the living room floor.

The pair went on trial for murder along with Mr Mullen at the High Court in Aberdeen earlier this week. Wilson and Ms Mullen admitted lesser charges during the fourth day of trial.

Ms Mullen admitted slapping and kicking Ms Leiper to her severe injury and Wilson admitted culpable homicide by kicking her in the head and body. Mr Mullen was acquitted.

An agreed narrative of what had happened on the night of Ms Leiper’s death was read out in court yesterday.

On 10 July, Ms Mullen visited her father to help him clean his property in Aberdeen and they all ended up drinking together.

Wilson turned up later and an argument broke out between Ms Leiper and Mr Mullen when they were drunk. Advocate depute Murdoch MacTaggert said Ms Leiper told Mr Mullen he was “lazy” for not going to the shop.

Mr MacTaggert said: “Ann-Marie Mullen came in from the toilet and slapped Amanda Leiper across the face and told Amanda Leiper not to speak to her father like that.

“Ann-Marie said to Alix Wilson that she should get Amanda and put her out of the house.” The court heard that Wilson then attacked Ms Leiper in the living room of the flat.

Mr MacTaggert said: “Ann-Marie Mullen grabbed Alix Wilson and asked what she was playing at. Alix Wilson said she was doing it for her.”

Ms Leiper was bleeding from the nose and mouth and left badly injured. Mr Mullen said he would call an ambulance but did not until just before 6am and by that time Ms Leiper was dead.

Pathologists revealed she had died as a result of bluntforce trauma to the head which would have killed her in two hours.

Mr MacTaggert said Wilson admitted that she had “lost control” and attributed this to a mixture of alcohol and valium.

Ms Mullen’s defence lawyer said his client’s actions were out of character. He said: “The relationship between the deceased and the former accused David Mullen was volatile.”

He said Ms Leiper had been charged with assaulting Mr Mullen but it had not come to trial.

Mr Robert Anthony said his client saw Ms Leiper grab her father when she came to the living room and was protecting him.

Lord Matthews continued bail and Wilson, of Aberdeen, was remanded. Sentence was deferred until next month for reports.