A perpetrator, described as a feral monster, was sentenced to life in prison for committing a heinous and barbaric crime. Rhys Bennett took the life of Jill Barclay, a mother of two, in a horrific act of violence that shocked the community of Aberdeen, Scotland. The court was informed that Bennett relentlessly pursued the frightened 47-year-old victim as she attempted to return home following a night out in September of last year.
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Bennett launched a surprise attack on Ms Barclay, subjecting her to brutal and relentless physical assault, including repeated strikes, kicks, stomping on her head and body, and forcefully banging her head against a pipe. Following this horrifying act, he proceeded to commit the abhorrent act of rape. As if the cruelty inflicted upon her was not enough, Bennett further added to the torment by dousing his victim with petrol, igniting her while she screamed in agony.
During the sentencing at Edinburgh’s High Court, Lord Arthurson expressed his profound condemnation, describing Bennett’s actions against Ms. Barclay as unimaginably wicked and reminiscent of a bygone era of medieval barbarity.
Ms Barclay leaves behind a partner and two children aged six and eight.
In a statement delivered outside the court following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Andrew Patrick read a tribute from her family, who described her as a deeply cherished life partner, mother, and daughter.
The family expressed their profound grief, emphasizing that Ms Barclay did not deserve to lose her life in such an indescribable and brutal manner. They conveyed the irrevocable impact that this man, Bennett, has had on their lives, forever altering their existence.
Bennett, a resident of Ballingry in Fife, appeared in court dressed in a grey tracksuit. During the proceedings, Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy KC presented forensic evidence suggesting that Ms. Barclay had been alive at the time she was set on fire.
Prior to the attack, Bennett had no prior acquaintance with Ms. Barclay. The encounter took place when he was out with a colleague at the Sider’s Web pub in the Dyce area. Bennett proceeded to pursue her as she made her way home, ultimately initiating an as*ault that, according to Lord Arthurson, clearly involved a prolonged and savage display of violence.
Within the confines of the Farburn Gatehouse, Bennett subjected Ms. Barclay to a vicious physical assault, followed by the abhorrent act of r*pe. The horrifying ordeal reached its peak when he set fire to the distressed mother, causing her to scream in agony.
During the court proceedings, Ms. Glancy disclosed that a witness in the vicinity on that fateful night reported hearing a female voice emit a high-pitched scream, followed by desperate cries of “no, no, no.”
Another woman who was present in the vicinity informed the police that she heard a female scream. However, upon listening from her back garden for a period of time, she attributed the noise to guests staying at a nearby hotel.
Segments of Ms. Barclay’s final journey were captured by security cameras. As she neared the area close to Farburn Gatehouse, Bennett overtook her. However, it was impossible to determine from the footage whether any interaction occurred between them.
Ms. Glancy, the prosecutor, informed the court of the recorded events, stating, “At one point, he slows down, turning backwards as if to check Jill Barclay’s location. Approximately 25 seconds later, Jill Barclay appears. She is moving at a remarkably slow pace. After a brief pause, she continues in the same direction as the accused, albeit slowly.”
The footage presented in court evoked a chilling atmosphere. It depicted a cautious demeanor on the part of Jill Barclay, who appeared wary of being in close proximity to the accused. Despite her repeated attempts to create distance between them, it was evident that she was visibly anxious and even frightened by the behavior of the accused.
At approximately 12:51 am, around the time the screams were reported, they vanished from the camera’s field of view.
Ms. Glancy informed the court about the findings of the pathologists’ post-mortem examination of Ms. Barclay. The examination revealed that her cause of d*ath resulted from severe head and facial injuries caused by blunt force, as well as external compression of the neck and the effects of the fire. Additionally, acute alcohol intoxication was also noted as a contributing factor.
The court was informed that even in the absence of alcohol intoxication, Ms. Barclay’s d*ath would have still occurred. However, it was suggested that acute alcohol intoxication might have impaired her ability to rescue herself and could have lowered her threshold for the fatal effects of external neck compression.
During the sentencing, Lord Arthurson directly addressed Bennett, emphasizing the horrifying truth revealed by the available evidence: that Ms. Barclay was still alive when the fire was ignited.
In no uncertain terms, Lord Arthurson stated, “To be crystal clear: you burned her alive.”
He further acknowledged that Ms. Barclay had led a vibrant and active life, and he held Bennett accountable for robbing her of a future and extinguishing the hopes and dreams cherished by her extended family.
The impact on Ms Barclay’s family has been immeasurable, and their lives have been irreversibly altered. The court received deeply moving and eloquent impact statements from Ms. Barclay’s partner, her older child, as well as her mother and aunt.
Acknowledging the profound grief experienced by the family, Lord Arthurson acknowledged that no action taken by the court or words spoken on this day could ever fully compensate for their loss. He recognized that no sentence imposed by the court could ever truly satisfy their sense of justice.
In addition to admitting to the sexual assault and murder of Ms. Barclay, Bennett also confessed to attempting to obstruct justice by burning the clothes he wore during the incident and washing other items. He received a punishment period of 24 years for the charges of r*pe and m*rder, with an additional four-year term for attempting to defeat the ends of justice, to be served concurrently.
Furthermore, Bennett was placed on the s*x offenders register indefinitely, reflecting the gravity and nature of his crimes.
