Jump directly to the content
'I CAN IMAGINE THE FEAR IN HER EYES'

Mum of butchered Paige Doherty has revealed how her daughter’s sick killer offered to help the search for the teen

The monster said he would put up posters of the schoolgirl in the deli where he stabbed her 61 times in the head and neck

composite Paige Doherty

THE MUM of a slain teenager has revealed how her daughter's twisted killer offered to help in the search for the schoolgirl.

John Leatham volunteered to put up posters inside the deli where he slaughtered 15-year-old Paige Doherty by stabbing her 61 times in the head and neck.

 Paige Doherty was butchered by John Leatham after entering his deli to buy a sandwich
8
Paige Doherty was butchered by John Leatham after entering his deli to buy a sandwichCredit: PA:Press Association
 Leatham has appealed against his 27 sentence for the 15-year-old's killing
8
Leatham has appealed against his 27 sentence for the 15-year-old's killingCredit: PA:Press Association

Her mum Pamela Munro now fears she may have walked past the monster's car while her daughter's body was still inside.

Evil Leatham, 32, stuffed murdered Paige in the boot of the Ford Focus before dumping her body in woodland just a few miles from her home.

Heartbroken Pamela has spoken out after the killer launched a bid to slash his 27 year sentence for the brutal murder.

 Pamela Munro has revealed her daughter's killer offered to help in the search for Paige
8
Pamela Munro has revealed her daughter's killer offered to help in the search for PaigeCredit: SWNS - Scotland
 Paige suffered 146 knife wounds after being butchered by Leatham
8
Paige suffered 146 knife wounds after being butchered by LeathamCredit: PA:Press Association

She blasted: "Even if he got out at 59 he’d still have a life, so 27 years isn’t long enough.

"He’s totally deluded. This appeal is cruel.”

A major search operation was launched in March after Paige failed to turn up to her part time hairdressing job.

Frantic Pamela helped police by going from shop to shop for information before unwittingly finding herself in front of her daughter's killer.

Married dad-of-two Leatham had butchered the schoolgirl in the Delicious Deli leaving her with 146 knife wounds in the bloodbath.

She had popped into the shop to get a sausage sandwich for breakfast but didn't leave alive.

Leatham had described Paige as a "lively wee girl" when she had been in the shop just weeks before the killing, but as Pamela desperately searched for the teen, he became cold.

Pamela told the : "I never thought anything of what he said at the time.

“Now it makes me feel sick.

“Looking back he was so cold. There was no emotion in his voice or his face."

 Paige had failed to turn up to her part time job at a hairdressers when a search was launched
8
Paige had failed to turn up to her part time job at a hairdressers when a search was launchedCredit: Facebook

Cruel Leatham tried claiming in court that Paige had threatened to say he ‘touched her’ if he didn’t give her a job.

He then stabbed the teen before calmly visiting a store to buy antibacterial wipes, bin bags and bleach.

Devastated family gasped in court as chilling CCTV footage showed Leatham carrying Paige's body out in a bin liner with her white-socked foot peeping out the bag.

Her body was found two days later, dumped in bushes not far from her home in Clydebank, near Glasgow.

 Paige's body was found in woodland after Leatham moved her body in a bin liner to the boot of his car
8
Paige's body was found in woodland after Leatham moved her body in a bin liner to the boot of his carCredit: PA

As Christmas approaches, Pamela is struggling to accept her daughter has gone for good and has left her room as it was on Paige's last day alive.

She said: "I haven’t touched anything. I still have her unwashed clothes in the laundry basket. I don’t want to tidy away Paige’s life. I am not moving . Paige lived in this house.”

 Paige's room has been left the same since the morning she walked to her death
8
Paige's room has been left the same since the morning she walked to her deathCredit: PA:Press Association
 Leatham had tried claiming that Paige blackmailed him
8
Leatham had tried claiming that Paige blackmailed himCredit: Facebook

Speaking about her daughter's brutal killing, Pamela added: "I know Paige so well. I think about how scared she must have been. I know her face when she’s scared.

"I can imagine the fear in her eyes. I know how she breathes when she is scared and the thought of that will never leave me. I was so protective of her, but I couldn’t protect her in that moment.”

Leatham pleaded guilty to the murder at Glasgow High Court, described by Judge Lady Rita Rae as a “savage and frenzied attack”.

His appeal will now be heard on December 23 despite Pamela launching a petition signed by 11,000 supporters to try to stop him getting a more lenient sentence.


We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368


 

Topics