Fiend beat girlfriend to death with his dog lead
A GRIEVING family left court in shock yesterday after a man who battered his girlfriend to death with a dog chain was jailed for just six years.
David Craigie accused Sonya Todd, 21, of cheating on him and subjected her to a five-hour beating before going out to walk his dog, leaving her with so many bruises that doctors could not list them individually.
Among the wounds were marks caused by the links of the leash Craigie, 24, kept for his Rottweiler.
Photos of the girl’s body were shown to Lord Kinclaven, but GeorgeTodd, 57, said the pictures of his daughter were too terrible for the family to see.
Craigie had been accused of murder, but his guilty plea to a reduced charge of culpable homicide was accepted
after doctors concluded Sonya’s diabetes played a part in her death.
There were tears from family and friends of Sonya at the High Court in Edinburgh when LordKinclaven passed sentence. MrTodd said: “Six years is short for anybody’s life. It doesn’t matter that it was culpable homicide. It is a short sentence.”
Sonya’s body was found in the flat she and Craigie shared in Methil, Fife, on March23. Craigie had scrawled a message on her arm, a reference to her supposed lover who worked in a local car wash, the court heard.
Lord Kinclaven told Craigie there was no evidence the injuries he inflicted would normally lead to death but added: “This was a sustained assault on a young woman who seems not to have fought back.”
The judge also made an order extending Craigie’s licence conditions for a further three years after his prison sentence.
Advocate depute Derek Ogg QC said Sonya was the mother of a six-year-old child and the father was Craigie’s brother.
Craigie and Sonya moved into the flat at Christmas last year. “The relationship was a volatile one,” said Mr Ogg.
Only a week before her death Sonya was questioned by police about a knife attack on Craigie.
The court heard she had been an insulin-dependent diabetic since nine and her poorly-controlled diabetes had led to previous hospital admissions.
Just after midnight on the daySonya died a neighbour heard screaming.
“He heard Craigie accuse her of having an affair. She denied it,” said Mr Ogg.
Craigie took out his dog but returned and the noise continued until about 5.30a.m.
Questioned by police, Craigie told them: “I love her from my heart.”
