LESLIE HOT TUB MURDERER STABBED EX-WIFE AND PARTNER TO DEATH
A man convicted of murdering his estranged wife, Nicola Johnstone, and her new partner, Kevin Braid, in a spa bath has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison.Shaun Alexander, aged 32 and from East Wemyss, Fife, committed the double stabbing in Leslie last October.
During the court proceedings, a strong reaction was observed as Lady Smith, the presiding judge, stated that Alexander would have faced a 24-year sentence had he not pleaded guilty.
Alexander and Nicola had separated approximately six months prior to the incident, but he had warned that no one else could have her.
Alexander accepted a life sentence after admitting to the murder of Nicola Johnstone, aged 23, and Kevin Braid, a 41-year-old divorced father of two.
He was found to have stabbed Nicola eight times, including in the heart and liver, at Mr Braid’s residence.
Kevin Braid was attacked with a crowbar and subsequently died from stab wounds to the chest, bleeding to death.
The defendant also pleaded guilty to assaulting Barry Greig, 41, leaving him severely injured and permanently disfigured.
The assault took place at the outdoor spa bath where Mr Greig was with Nicola Johnstone, Mr Braid, and another individual, Claire Ritchie.
In an outburst during sentencing at Edinburgh’s High Court, members of the public voiced their outrage.
Raymond Clark, 48, explained he has developed a close relationship with Braid’s family and expressed his sympathy.
Kevin Braid’s father, Merv, voiced his anger, saying, “We hoped to put this behind us today, but we cannot.
We don’t want this man released after 17 years.
It’s both shocking and disgusting what he has done.
He has destroyed two families.” Merv Braid announced plans to appeal the sentence, criticizing the law as a “joke” and stating that life should mean life, especially in light of the lengthy time already served.
He also pointed out that the judge appeared to confuse the names of those involved during sentencing.
Details from the court revealed that Nicola Johnstone had ended her relationship with Alexander in April or May of the previous year.
The advocate depute, David Young, explained that Alexander had been obsessively following his estranged wife to her workplace and college.
Although Nicola sought a court order to stop him from harassment, the order had not yet been granted when she was murdered.
At the time of her death on October 10, Nicola had been seeing Kevin Braid for about three weeks.
Alexander later claimed he had no intention of killing anyone, asserting he merely went to Mr Braid’s house and saw the others in the spa bath.
Concerning his estranged wife, he said, “I never meant to cut her.
She ended up in a pool of blood.” After his arrest, a friend visited him in prison and told him, “I told you I would do it and I did.”
