Killer's confession chills TV viewers

Aug 14 2009 by Lisa Boyle

THE chilling voice of killer Stuart McDonald confessing that he had murdered the mother of his child was aired on national television last night.

A special edition of the BBC’s Crimewatch reconstructed the fateful night young Laura Thomson was butchered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.

His actual police interview was used as part of the hard hitting documentary.

Viewers heard McDonald telling officers: “I can't remember doing nothing. I just remember picking the knife up and I lost the plot and started stabbing her.

“I think that's what happened.

“And then I just ran away.”

Laura's story was used as part of a special edition of Crimewatch on domestic abuse.

Her best friend Toni Spiers worked with the BBC to help make it possible.

And she hopes it will save lives.

Toni told the Post: “I did it for Laura, I couldn't give her anything else so I wanted to tell people what she was like.”

Toni hopes young people will recognise themselves as victims of domestic abuse having watched the documentary.

She said: “A lot of young girls think 'my boyfriend has text me 15 times today, he must really like me’.

“They don't realise that the boyfriends are being possessive and that's not right. They don't think they are victims of domestic abuse. Laura didn't see herself as that, but she was. She didn't realise it was as bad as it was. Nobody ever thought Stuart could do anything like that.”

Young mum Toni hopes the documentary will encourage people not to turn a blind eye when they know domestic abuse is going on.

She continued: “Stuart beat Laura up in the churchyard before he killed her. People heard that happening. There were witnesses to it but nobody did anything.

“Laura and Stuart were well known in Lochside, it's a small community, but nobody phoned the police or her parents and nobody went to help her.

“People just didn't want to get involved. And then he killed her.”

The events of the horrific night in June last year haunt Toni to this day.

She explained: “I was at Ayr Hospital with my partner because he had cut his hand.

“Stuart phoned me and told me he had stabbed Laura in the neck and thought he had killed her.

“I thought it was some kind of wind-up but I went to reception and asked if a Laura Thomson had been brought in. I just knew by the receptionist's face that it was true.

“The ambulance arrived and I was trying to get to her, so I was locked in the back of a police car while they tried to resuscitate her at the entrance of the accident and emergency department.

“When they let me out I kept saying if anything happens I need to be there, don't let her die alone.

“I've never lost anyone close to me in my life and then it's got to be the person closest of all. We were more like sisters.”

But Toni is determined to get on with her life and make sure Laura is remembered for the bright and bubbly young woman she was.

She concluded: “I talk about her all the time and I always smile because all we ever had were happy memories.”