MEDIEVAL BARBARITY

Life for labourer who viciously attacked and raped woman he met in pub before pouring petrol over her and setting her on fire while she was still alive

- ALAN McEWEN

EVIL Rhys Bennett was handed a life sentence yesterday for the "medieval" murder of a mum of two who he raped and burned alive.

The monster followed Jill Barclay as she walked home from a night out before launching the attack beside derelict buildings.

Jill, 47, suffered horrific blunt force injuries at the hands of Bennett, who she'd just met at the nearby Spider's Web pub in Dyce, Aberdeen.

Labourer Bennett returned to the scene two hours later in his work van and poured petrol over Jill while she was still breathing, before setting her alight.

The 23-year-old burned his clothes and drove home to Fife, but detectives traced his van from CCTV footage.

Yesterday in court he pled guilty to murdering and raping Jill on September 17 last year.

Judge Lord Arthurson told Bennett his crimes were "unimaginably wicked and indeed medieval in their barbarity".

Sentencing Bennett to a life sentence with a minimum of 24 years in prison, the judge said evidence showed Jill was still alive when he set her body ablaze.

He added: "To be crystal clear, you burned her alive.

Advocate depute Lorraine Glancy KC aid Jill had been at a said Jill had been at a concert with a friend at the Music Hall in Aberdeen.

The pair later went to the Spider's Web at about 11pm and ended up chatting with Bennett and two of his colleagues.

Bennett and his workmates from a Perth fencing company were in the city on a job and staying the night at a nearby guesthouse.

Jill's friend left at about 11.35pm while she stayed until closing time an hour later then started her 25-minute walk home.

She stopped to have a cigarette with Bennett and his colleagues outside their guesthouse before starting along Victoria Street alone.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Jill was spotted on CCTV at 12.39am before Bennett, dressed in a high-vis jacket and trousers, began following her.