A DEVOTED husband who killed his wife in a “final act of love” has been jailed for three years and four months.
Ian Gordon, 67, smothered his wife Patricia, 63, with a pillow at their home in Troon, Ayrshire, on April 28 2016.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Mr Gordon acted because of his partner of 46 years had been suffering from ill health.
The couple had a death pact as Mrs Gordon was convinced she was suffering from lung cancer. However, she didn’t want to be treated for her health problems because she was afraid of hospitals.
So Mr Gordon, who was convicted of culpable homicide last month, decided to act and placed a pillow over his spouse’s face which resulted in her death.
Yesterday, defence counsel Gordon Jackson QC told judge Lord Arthurson that a doctor who knew Mr Gordon said the accused didn’t act with malice.
Mr Jackson, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, added: “He said it was a ‘final act of love.’ That is exactly what happened.”
Passing sentence, Lord Arthurson said he took into account what Mr Jackson said and the evidence placed before the court in deciding the sentence.
He added: “There are powerful mitigatory factors in your favour. However, given the nature of the charge to which you have been convicted of, a custodial sentence is inevitable.
“It is in the public interest that I discharge my duties and the sentence of this court will be three years and four months.”
Mr Gordon, of North Drive, Troon, went to trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month on a charge of murder.
However, the charge was withdrawn after jurors heard evidence from Mr Gordon’s daughter Gail Whyte.
She described her mother’s suffering and her father’s devotion to the woman with whom he spent the greater part of his life.
Without her ‘moving account’, Gordon would still be in the dock accused of murder, the court heard.
Mr Jackson said Mr Gordon’s family fully supported him.
Lord Arthurson told Mr Gordon, who has no previous convictions, that he had no other option but to impose a custodial term.
He added that the sentence was discounted from a five year term.
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