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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Son admits father's 'bin murder' | Son admits father's 'bin murder' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A son has admitted murdering his 70-year-old father and dumping his body in a bin, before spending his money. | A son has admitted murdering his 70-year-old father and dumping his body in a bin, before spending his money. |
| Benjamin Holding, 29, an STV business development executive, attacked his father Michael at Inchmarlo, Banchory. | Benjamin Holding, 29, an STV business development executive, attacked his father Michael at Inchmarlo, Banchory. |
| Holding admitted murdering his father by throwing him to the floor and hitting his head in October last year. | |
| He also admitted charges of fraud and attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Sentence was deferred at the High Court in Edinburgh. | He also admitted charges of fraud and attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Sentence was deferred at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| The court heard that Holding pushed the retired oil executive to the ground, then repeatedly bashed his head against the floor and a metal cat food bowl. | The court heard that Holding pushed the retired oil executive to the ground, then repeatedly bashed his head against the floor and a metal cat food bowl. |
| His lies and scheming were beginning to unravel and in the end caught up with him Det Insp Matt MackayGrampian Police | His lies and scheming were beginning to unravel and in the end caught up with him Det Insp Matt MackayGrampian Police |
| Holding then tried to cover up the murder by wrapping the body in a sheet and dumping it head-first in a wheelie bin at their home, where it lay for seven weeks. | Holding then tried to cover up the murder by wrapping the body in a sheet and dumping it head-first in a wheelie bin at their home, where it lay for seven weeks. |
| Holding then set about spending £7,000 on his dead father's credit cards and bought a £17,000 car, later claiming he had been "spending his rightful inheritance". | Holding then set about spending £7,000 on his dead father's credit cards and bought a £17,000 car, later claiming he had been "spending his rightful inheritance". |
| He also sent false e-mails pretending to be his father and claiming he was elsewhere in the UK. | He also sent false e-mails pretending to be his father and claiming he was elsewhere in the UK. |
| Holding, who was in financial difficulties, claimed he had been driven to the killing by his "domineering" father who he said viewed him as a failure. | Holding, who was in financial difficulties, claimed he had been driven to the killing by his "domineering" father who he said viewed him as a failure. |
| The court was told Holding and his wife Sarah had been living with Mr Holding snr for some months because Holding had been unable to get a mortgage on a home because of his poor credit history. | The court was told Holding and his wife Sarah had been living with Mr Holding snr for some months because Holding had been unable to get a mortgage on a home because of his poor credit history. |
| Basically spoiled | |
| In the weeks leading up to the killing, Holding lied to his wife and father, telling them he had successfully bought a house for the couple to move into. | In the weeks leading up to the killing, Holding lied to his wife and father, telling them he had successfully bought a house for the couple to move into. |
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| Background to the case | Background to the case |
| On the day of the murder, 13 October last year, Holding told his wife there had been a problem with the house purchase and agreed to tell his father they would need to stay on. | On the day of the murder, 13 October last year, Holding told his wife there had been a problem with the house purchase and agreed to tell his father they would need to stay on. |
| He returned to the home and got into an argument with him, before knocking him to the ground and hitting his head against the floor and the bowl. | He returned to the home and got into an argument with him, before knocking him to the ground and hitting his head against the floor and the bowl. |
| Realising his father was dead, Holding wrapped the body and placed it in a wheelie bin, hiding the bin under tarpaulin and a bag of cement in a locked shed at the house. He then destroyed evidence by washing clothes and cleaning out the utility room where Mr Holding snr died. | Realising his father was dead, Holding wrapped the body and placed it in a wheelie bin, hiding the bin under tarpaulin and a bag of cement in a locked shed at the house. He then destroyed evidence by washing clothes and cleaning out the utility room where Mr Holding snr died. |
| Donald Findlay QC, defending, said: "There was absolutely no reason to consider that he would be someone that might become involved in a crime of such violence. | |
| His lies and scheming were beginning to unravel and in the end caught up with him Det Insp Matt MackayGrampian Police | |
| "He has always accepted what he did, he has always accepted full responsibility for his father's death." | |
| Judge Roger Craik QC said: "You have pleaded guilty to a dreadful matter, I'm quite sure that you realise that. | |
| "Given the nature of your plea there is only one sentence open to the court." | |
| Sentence was deferred until 21 August. | |
| Stephen Holding, Mr Holding snr's son from a previous marriage, said he believed his half-brother should be jailed for life. | |
| "Ben was just basically spoiled," said Mr Holding. | |
| "He had so much he didn't know what to do and he wanted more and he put my father in the bin. You wouldn't do that to a cat. He should get life for a life." | |
| 'Loved him' | |
| Grampian Police Det Insp Matt Mackay said: "On the surface, Ben Holding appears to be a clean cut and professional young man. | Grampian Police Det Insp Matt Mackay said: "On the surface, Ben Holding appears to be a clean cut and professional young man. |
| "But behind that plausible exterior was a skilful and accomplished liar who manipulated and controlled his nearest and dearest for his own financial gratification." | "But behind that plausible exterior was a skilful and accomplished liar who manipulated and controlled his nearest and dearest for his own financial gratification." |
| The officer said: "But his lies and scheming were beginning to unravel and in the end caught up with him. | The officer said: "But his lies and scheming were beginning to unravel and in the end caught up with him. |
| "The house which his wife and father believed he had purchased simply did not exist and he was coming under increasing pressure to provide a home for his wife. | "The house which his wife and father believed he had purchased simply did not exist and he was coming under increasing pressure to provide a home for his wife. |
| "Ben Holding's father had clearly loved him and supported him over many years, but those feelings were not reciprocated. Ultimately, he used his father purely as a source of cash. Within hours of killing his father, he was using his bank accounts." | "Ben Holding's father had clearly loved him and supported him over many years, but those feelings were not reciprocated. Ultimately, he used his father purely as a source of cash. Within hours of killing his father, he was using his bank accounts." |