Man jailed for murdering fiancée

28 June 2011 Last updated at 14:58 GMT A man who battered his fiancee to death two days after he was released from a six-month sentence for assaulting her has been jailed for life.

David McLeish, 46, was convicted of murdering 43-year-old Donna Black, at a flat in Clydebank, last December.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how the "vicious attack" left Ms Black with 13 rib fractures and brain damage.

Judge Lord Bracadale ordered McLeish to serve a minimum of 17 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

The court heard how McLeish had 57 previous convictions which included assault.

Ms Black, who was just 5ft 3in tall, was left with horrific injuries after McLeish, who is 6ft 4in and 18 stone, punched and kicked her. He also smashed a frying pan over her head.

The beating caused five large tears in her bowel and one in her spleen and she died from severe internal injuries to her abdomen.

'I'm being murdered'

The court was told that as McLeish battered his fiancee she managed to make a frantic 999 call to police saying: "I'm being murdered."

Minutes later police arrived at the scene and had to kick down the door.

Inside they found Ms Black dying and McLeish covered in her blood in a bedroom.

The 46-year-old said in evidence at his trial that somebody had "done something" to her during the time that he had been out of the flat.

The jury did not believe McLeish's story and took just 60 minutes to find him guilty of Ms Black's murder.

Jailing him for life, Lord Bracadale told McLeish: "This was a prolonged, sustained and vicious attack on the woman you claimed to love."

Outside court, Ms Black's mother Linda said: "Justice has been seen to be done. Now my daughter can rest in peace."

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