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Karen Buckley murder: Man admits killing Irish student in Glasgow Karen Buckley murder: Man admits killing Irish student in Glasgow
(about 1 hour later)
A man has admitted murdering Irish student Karen Buckley, whose body was found on a farm four days after she went missing from a Glasgow nightclub.A man has admitted murdering Irish student Karen Buckley, whose body was found on a farm four days after she went missing from a Glasgow nightclub.
Alexander Pacteau, 21, admitted repeatedly hitting Ms Buckley with a spanner and strangling her in his car.Alexander Pacteau, 21, admitted repeatedly hitting Ms Buckley with a spanner and strangling her in his car.
At the High Court in Glasgow, sentence on Pacteau, from Glasgow, was deferred. He faces a mandatory life term. He then hid the body of the 24-year-old, from Cork, in a barrel.
Ms Buckley, 24, from Cork, disappeared on 12 April. Her body was found at a farm near Milngavie. After sentence was deferred at the High Court in Glasgow, Ms Buckley's father said Pacteau was "evil" and should spend the rest of his life in prison.
The court heard how Pacteau had met Ms Buckley outside the Sanctuary nightclub in the early hours of Sunday 12 April and drove with her in his car to nearby Kelvin Way. The court heard how Pacteau had met Ms Buckley outside the Sanctuary nightclub, where she had been with friends, in the early hours of Sunday 12 April.
The student told her friends that she was going to the toilet but did not return or take her jacket.
Pacteau was seen on CCTV images talking to her before they walked off to his car, which he drove to nearby Kelvin Way.
Spanner attackSpanner attack
The car was parked on the street for 12 minutes, during which time Pacteau attacked and murdered her by grabbing her neck and delivering 12 or 13 blows with the spanner.The car was parked on the street for 12 minutes, during which time Pacteau attacked and murdered her by grabbing her neck and delivering 12 or 13 blows with the spanner.
The court was told Ms Buckley suffered some injuries to her arm as she tried to defend herself.
Pacteau's silver Ford Focus was seen on CCTV leaving the area and heading towards Dawsholm Park, where the following morning a member of the public found Ms Buckley's handbag near a bin.Pacteau's silver Ford Focus was seen on CCTV leaving the area and heading towards Dawsholm Park, where the following morning a member of the public found Ms Buckley's handbag near a bin.
Four days after she was reported missing, the student's body was found at High Craigton Farm, near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire.Four days after she was reported missing, the student's body was found at High Craigton Farm, near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire.
Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, told the court that after murdering Ms Buckley, Pacteau then drove to his flat and took her body inside to his room. Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, told the court that after murdering Ms Buckley, Pacteau then drove to his flat in Dorchester Avenue and took her body inside to his room.
At about 08:00 he used his mobile phone to look up the properties of a chemical called sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda. He used his mobile phone to look up the properties of a chemical called sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda.
He then locked his bedroom door and travelled to a B&Q store where he bought six litres of the chemical and masks and gloves. He then bought quantities of the chemical from B&Q and Poundstretcher along with masks and gloves.
Pacteau also went to a Poundstretcher store near his flat and bought more of the chemical. He texted his flatmate to make sure he was out for the day, then returned to the flat and left Ms Buckley's body in the bath.
Pacteau was found cleaning the hall and stairwell when his flatmate returned home that night.
Weapon disposalWeapon disposal
He texted his flatmate to make sure he was out for the day, then returned to the flat and left Miss Buckley's body in the bath.
Pacteau was found cleaning the hall and stairwell when his flatmate returned home at about 20:00.
By that time he had moved Ms Buckley's body into his locked bedroom again and wrapped her remains in a duvet.By that time he had moved Ms Buckley's body into his locked bedroom again and wrapped her remains in a duvet.
Mr Mulholland told the court how Pacteau left his flat at about 05:00 the following morning and went to a bridge of the nearby Forth and Clyde Canal where he threw the spanner into the water. Pacteau left his flat again at about 05:00 the following morning and threw the spanner into the nearby Forth and Clyde Canal.
He then drove to a supermarket and bought cleaning products and asked a member of staff to recommend a product for removing blood from a mattress.He then drove to a supermarket and bought cleaning products and asked a member of staff to recommend a product for removing blood from a mattress.
The court was told that Pacteau then made his first journey to High Craigton Farm, an area familiar to him as he rented a storage unit there during a previous job selling fireworks. He stopped off at a supermarket on the way to buy white spirit and a lighter. Pacteau then made his first journey to High Craigton Farm, where he had rented a storage unit during a previous job selling fireworks.
He burned some clothing while there before returning to his flat where he used his mobile phone to call a packaging company and ordered a large blue barrel. He stopped off at a supermarket on the way to buy white spirit and a lighter which he used to burn some clothing while at the farm.
Pacteau then returned to his flat and used his phone to order a large blue barrel from a packaging company.
Mr Mulholland said Pacteau collected the barrel and returned to his flat, then placed Ms Buckley's body inside.Mr Mulholland said Pacteau collected the barrel and returned to his flat, then placed Ms Buckley's body inside.
He then took the mattress in his car to the farmland where he burned it along with other items before returning to the flat and taking the barrel to his car. He then took the mattress in his car to the farmland where he burned it along with other items, before returning to the flat and taking the barrel to his car.
Storage unitsStorage units
He stopped off to buy padlocks at an Asda store then made his way to the farm where he arranged to rent two storage units for a week before moving the barrel into one of the units, covering it with a sheet and placing a bike wheel and paper shredder on top. He bought padlocks at an Asda store, then made his way to the farm where he arranged to rent two storage units for a week before moving the barrel into one of the units.
Ms Buckley, a qualified nurse, had moved to Scotland in February and was studying occupational therapy at Glasgow Caledonian University. Pacteau visited a car valet on his way home and while there used his phone to create an advert to sell the Ford Focus.
A massive police search was launched after she was reported missing by her friends who had last seen her at the Sanctuary club in Glasgow's west end. By this time Ms Buckley's disappearance had been reported and a massive police operation was under way to locate her.
Ms Buckley had told her friends she was going to the toilet but did not return or take her jacket. That evening, when Pacteau returned home, he was visited by police who had identified him as the man seen talking to Ms Buckley on CCTV outside the nightclub.
CCTV images revealed that she had talked to a man - later revealed to be Pacteau - outside the nightclub, before leaving and walking towards Church Street. As he opened the door, Pacteau said "I was just coming to see you."
Pacteau faces a mandatory life term when he is sentenced. The officers noticed a strong smell of bleach in the flat and a tool box and other items in a bedroom.
Pacteau agreed to go to the police station as a witness.
During a search, police found a Poundstrecher receipt for a series of chemicals and padlock keys in the 21-year-old's pockets.
He gave a statement saying he met Ms Buckley outside the club and they both went back to his flat where they had consensual sex.
Blood found
He told police Ms Buckley had fallen and injured herself on the bed frame but said he did not notice she had been bleeding until the following morning.
Pacteau told officers that when he realised police were looking for information regarding her disappearance he panicked.
He told them he had burned a mattress and clothes on a forest road near Drymen and he did this because he was aware he was the last person to see her alive.
Meanwhile, police searching his flat confirmed that Ms Buckley's blood was present within the property.
When shown an account of his earlier claims, Pacteau accepted his statements were untrue.
The court also heard how a member of the public had contacted police after reading that Pacteau was the last person so see Ms Buckley.
The witness told officers about the storage unit at the farm that Pacteau had used in the past.
Police then went to High Craigton Farm where they found the blue plastic barrel containing Ms Buckley's body.
A post-mortem examination showed she had suffered multiple injuries to her head consistent with blunt force.
Ms Buckley, a qualified nurse, had moved to Scotland in February and had been studying occupational therapy at Glasgow Caledonian University when she was murdered.