Dad jailed after attack on dead wife's lover

Apr 3 2009

A GRIEVING husband has been jailed for six months after he beat up his wife’s lover.

And William Turner was was told by a sheriff he should “ponder to what extent” he was responsible for his wife committing suicide.

An appeal has now been launched against the dad of three’s sentence.

Turner discovered his wife was having an affair with his friend of 25 years after she mistakenly sent him a text meant for her lover.

A few weeks later, the furious 39-year-old beat up William Compton when he found him asleep on a couch in the couple’s marital home.

The following morning, January 2, Lorraine Turner was found dead after taking an overdose.

Ayr Sheriff Court heard this week that bizarrely, Turner partied with his wife and her lover on Hogmanay in the Lochside home, believing the affair was over.

But on the night, he heard a telephone conversation between his wife and his mother suggesting it was still going on.

William Turner stormed out of the house in a rage, but returned at 9pm on New Year’s night.

Depute fiscal Stephanie Blair told Sheriff Colin Miller: “He went into the house where William Compton had been sleeping on a couch and Lorraine Turner was sleeping on another couch.

“William Compton was, by his own admission, in a drunken stupor when he was awakened having felt a blow to his face.”

Turner admitted butting Compton in the face and repeatedly punching and kicking him about the head and body to his injury.

Sentencing Turner to six months, Sheriff Miller noted that he had seven convictions for assault including one against a child.

Sheriff Miller said: “You are a man of violence, no doubt about that.”

After visiting his client in the cells, defence lawyer Peter Lockhart said: “Mr Turner is devastated that he has been sent to prison.

“He feels at this time he should be with his children.”