Woman suffered 78 injuries in attack by partner, murder trial told

A woman suffered 78 injuries to her head and body after a "brutal" attack by her partner, a murder trial has been told.

Alexander Brennan, 54, denies murdering Brodie MacGregor, 23, in her flat in Glasgow's Springburn on 26 August 2024.

Forensic pathologist, Dr Julie McAdam, told the High Court in Glasgow that the cause of death was "extensive facial injures".

She said a post-mortem examination found MacGregor suffered a series of "blunt force injuries, bruises, abrasions and lacerations".

This story contains details that some readers may find distressing.

Prosecutors claim Brennan punched and slapped MacGregor and inflicted blunt force trauma injuries by means unknown.

The murder charges states that he repeatedly struck her with glass bottles, some of which were broken, as well as hitting her with a microwave plate.

McAdam, 54, told jurors that she carried out a post-mortem examination on MacGregor.

Prosecutor Alan Parfery asked about her facial injuries, including a fractured nose and a sharp force injury to her scalp.

McAdam said: "Injuries to her mouth would have bled heavily.

"She lost a considerable amount of blood in her airway - her airway was full of blood as was her throat, gullet and stomach.

"She has tried to swallow blood and there was evidence that she breathed blood in her lungs."

Jurors also heard about a brain injury that was said to have been caused by kicks or being struck with glass bottles.

There were also potential defensive injuries to MacGregor hands.

McAdam told the court that MacGregor would have had a survival time of one hour after sustaining her injuries.

The doctor added that she could "imagine" that MacGregor would have made sounds of "coughing and spluttering" as well as her breathing to be "noisy."

The prosecutor asked: "In your experience, let's say she sustained the facial injuries and someone phoned the emergency services within five minutes, medical teams were there, would her life be capable of being survived?

McAdam said: "It is obvious with getting medical treatment you are more likely to survive. Her injuries were severe but there was potential for survival."

In his closing speech, the prosecutor said MacGregor had died in a "stunning act of brutality" after being hit by a broken glass bottles multiple times.

Parfery added: "It was a sustained assault using weapons. There was intent to injure Brodie MacGregor with wicked reckless as to whether she lived or died."

The Crown case closed with the deletion of three charges against Brennan. The murder charge is now the only one for the jury to consider.

Brennan's defence lawyer said there was "no dispute" over whether the incident took place, but asked jurors to decide if his client was guilty of murder or the lesser charge of culpable homicide

Brian McConnachie KC said: "This is not a whodunnit as far as we are concerned.

"It is not whether a crime has been committed, it is what crime has been committed

"In essence, the choice you have to make is between murder and culpable homicide - both are very serious offences."

The trial, before Lord Scott, continues on Monday.