Scott Paterson, a 45-year-old man with no fixed address, has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering and dismembering his 74-year-old landlady, Annette Smith. The gruesome incident took place in their shared home in Fairfield, Bedfordshire, in November 2023. Paterson suffocated Ms. Smith with a pillow before using a kitchen knife and saw to dismember her body. He then hid her remains in a storage unit in Letchworth.
To cover up the murder, Paterson used Ms. Smith’s email account to send Christmas messages and Moonpig cards to her family and friends, pretending that she was still alive. He even told police that she had left their home with an unknown woman. However, in April, concerns were raised by relatives, leading to an investigation by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit.
When he was arrested, Paterson confessed to the crime and directed police to the storage unit where he had hidden Ms. Smith’s remains. The court heard that the two had known each other for 14 years, with Ms. Smith offering him rent-free accommodation after his relationship breakdown. They shared a close relationship, going on holidays together and hosting dinner parties. Paterson also took on caring responsibilities for Ms. Smith after she suffered a stroke in 2018.
The court was told that Ms. Smith’s estranged husband had asked her to sell the property they shared, which eventually led to her death. Paterson felt pressured to encourage her to go through with the sale as he claimed she had become more demanding since her stroke. On the fateful day in November 2023, he suffocated Ms. Smith with a pillow, drank a bottle of wine, and then dismembered her body before hiding the remains.
During the sentencing, Judge Edward Murray described Paterson’s actions as “awful” and “callous,” acknowledging that no sentence could compensate for the loss suffered by Ms. Smith’s family and friends. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years and 178 days.
Ms. Smith’s stepson, Jason Smith, expressed his grief and anger towards Paterson, calling him an “evil man” and stating that he would never forgive him for what he did. The courtroom atmosphere was tense as Paterson, dressed in a blue polo shirt and grey trousers, bowed his head and closed his eyes upon hearing the verdict.
The tragic story of Annette Smith’s murder serves as a reminder of the darkness that can lurk within seemingly ordinary relationships. It highlights the importance of staying vigilant and looking out for warning signs of potential danger, even among those we trust. The devastating impact of such heinous crimes reverberates through families and communities, leaving scars that may never fully heal.
