CCTV shows Glasgow murderer's calm exit from pub before he brutally killed partner in own home
This is the moment murderer John Higgins calmly leaves a Glasgow pub and enters a taxi before going to his partner's home and killing her in a violent assault.
John, 64, was today sentenced at Glasgow High Court to 19 years in prison for the brutal attack on mum-of-one Amanda McAlear at her home in Barmulloch. He admitted fatally attacking her on May 7, 2022 after attending a football match and drinking in two pubs after the game.
Amanda's future was stolen at the hands of her partner after the court heard she 'unplugged the TV he had been trying to watch'. The 50-year-old tragically missed out on her son's wedding and the birth of her youngest granddaughter.
In CCTV footage now released by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, it shows a calm Higgins standing in the pub before leaving the last bar at 5.20pm and being taken to Amanda’s house by taxi.
During the course of the journey, Higgins said he was looking forward to ordering an Indian meal and watching football on television.
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Meanwhile, Amanda was visiting her elderly mother who lived near her east end home. She received a call from her son at 6.48pm asking her to keep his dog, which she had been looking after, for an extra day.
This was the last time anyone had contact with Amanda before she died.
Higgins was caught on CCTV leaving his partner’s home at 9.46pm. He then attended at the home of relatives and told how he had been arguing with Amanda.
The killer said that the mother-of-one had been unplugging the television while he had been trying to watch.
Higgins went on to say he had “seen red” and he thoughts things had “went too far” but never mentioned that Amanda had been injured or that she might need medical attention.
After spending the night at his relative’s home, Higgins said “you know that way when you wake up and reality hits you” before asking a family member to get details for a solicitor.
At 12pm on Sunday, May 8, Amanda’s son arrived at her home to pick up his dog.
When no one answered the door, he let himself in using a set of keys he kept before finding his mother’s body in the kitchen. He immediately dialled 999 and called for an ambulance but Amanda was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.15pm.
A post-mortem examination discovered that she had suffered many injuries including a fractured rib, a displaced tooth and soft tissue damage to her neck.
Her primary cause of death was determined to be compression of the neck.
During a forensic examination, Higgins was found to have bruising to pinkie finger on his right hand, the inner side of his upper arm and a 3cm scratch to his chest.
The couple had been together for four years.
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On September 25, Higgins was jailed for a minimum of 19 years at the High Court in Glasgow.
Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “John Higgins violently attacked Amanda in her own home where she should have been safe. Instead of calling for help, he left the house leaving his partner on the kitchen floor.
“His cruel and callous actions have robbed a family of their loving mum, daughter, sister, aunt and grandmother.
“Adding to their unimaginable devastation, Amanda never got to meet her youngest grandchild and missed out on her son’s wedding.
“Higgins will now face the consequences of his wicked actions by serving a life sentence.
“Our thoughts remain with Amanda’s friends and family, who have waited patiently for justice to be served.”
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