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The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Man handed 18-year prison term for murdering partner in ‘savage' attack
A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for murdering his partner in a 'sustained and savage' attack. Corey Dryden repeatedly struck 31-year-old Megan Hughes on the head and body with a knife and claw hammer at her home in Chirnside, in the Scottish Borders, in the early hours of February 9 this year. The mother-of-two was stabbed 27 times in total. At about 2.15am, the couple's next-door neighbour was woken by the sound of a disturbance, and heard Ms Hughes repeatedly shouting for help and Dryden telling her to 'shut up'. Dryden dialled 999 at about 4.35am, but when paramedics arrived Ms Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene. The 32-year-old initially claimed Ms Hughes had attacked him and that he had acted in self-defence, but on June 27 he admitted murdering his partner. He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday. Sentencing Dryden, judge Lord Harrower said: 'In the early hours of Sunday February 9 you carried out a sustained and savage attack using a large kitchen knife and a claw hammer.' He said Ms Hughes had sustained stab wounds to the front and back of her chest, face, neck and left arm, and 'blunt force trauma' the front and back of her head. He added: 'Ms Hughes also sustained defence-type injuries to her left thumb and left wrist, indicating that she remained conscious and aware of what was happening during at least part of the attack.' The judge told Dryden his actions had caused 'terrible devastation' to Ms Hughes's entire family. 'Such was the nature of the injuries you inflicted, they were deprived of the opportunity to look at her face one last time,' the judge told him. 'No sentence of this court can alleviate their anguish.' The judge also recounted an incident in a pub on September 22 2024, just five months before the fatal attack, which saw police called. 'When they arrived they witnessed you shouting and swearing at Ms Hughes, calling her derogatory names,' he said. He went on: 'Ms Hughes had expressed a fear that you would kill her if she returned home that night. 'Ultimately those fears were realised.' Lord Harrower sentenced Dryden to life with a minimum term of 18 years in prison, saying 'the only sentence for the crime of murder is life imprisonment'. Dryden, who attended the hearing by videolink from prison dressed in a red jumper, showed no emotion as he was sentenced. Earlier, Dryden's advocate Lili Prais KC told the court he accepts 'full responsibility for the monstrous crime', and is 'deeply remorseful'. She read out a written statement from Dryden in which he said: 'No sentence I get will justify or bring closure to her family. 'The despicable, monstrous crime I have committed, I have turned everyone's life upside down. 'I will never be about to forgive myself, or accept the pain I have caused.' She added Dryden has little memory of what happened on the night of the attack, saying he had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol and that it had been a 'blur'. Commenting after the sentencing, Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: 'Corey Dryden is a violent and dangerous man who murdered Megan Hughes in her home, where she had the right to be safe. 'After subjecting her to a horrific assault, he left his partner on the floor to die instead of calling for help. 'His cruel and callous actions have robbed Megan of her future and left her family and loved ones to deal with this unimaginable loss. Our thoughts remain with them. 'Dryden has now been held accountable following this prosecution, which should send a clear message to perpetrators of domestic abuse.' Police Scotland Detective Chief Inspector Laura White said: 'This was a vicious and calculated attack by Dryden that tragically resulted in Megan's death. 'His actions have robbed a family of their mum, daughter, granddaughter, sister and niece. 'Our thoughts very much remain with Megan's family and friends as they come to terms with what happened to her.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Man who stabbed partner 27 times in Chirnside given life sentence
A man who stabbed his partner 27 times during a brutal deadly attack at their home in the Borders has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 Dryden, 32, had initially claimed Megan Hughes had attacked him and he had acted in self-defence but last month pleaded guilty to murdering the 31-year-old at the property on Windram Road in Chirnside in who attended the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh via videolink from prison, showed no emotion as judge Lord Harrower sentenced judge described it as a "sustained" and "savage" attack which was carried out using a knife and a claw hammer. The court previously heard how police arrested Dryden soon after the assault and took him into had told police officers he could not remember what he had month he pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Hughes by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a charge also contained details of how he repeatedly struck his partner with a hammer "or a similar object" during the attack. The court was told the pair had known each other since childhood but had started living together in July last Hughes had two children from a previous court heard that on the day of the attack neighbours had been woken at about 02:15 by loud banging and Ms Hughes shouting: "Please help me".Things quietened down but Dryden phoned police at about 04:30 claiming his partner had stabbed herself after attacking him with a who responded found Ms Hughes lying on the floor of an upstairs bedroom with a kitchen knife in her right court heard how officers started doing CPR but paramedics later pronounced her carried out a post-mortem examination on Ms Hughes's body the day after the fatal attack and the cause of death was recorded as stab wounds to the chest and neck. 'Deeply remorseful' Lord Harrower was told Dryden was "deeply remorseful" for his actions.A statement read on his behalf said he realised no sentence could "justify or bring closure to her family for the despicable, monstrous crime I have committed"."'I have turned everyone's life upside down," it added. "I will never be able to forgive myself."Lord Harrower told him he would have to serve a minimum of 18 years for the "sustained" and "savage" attack which was carried out using a knife and a claw said Dryden had caused "terrible devastation" to Ms Hughes' family and that no sentence could "alleviate their anguish". 'Horrific assault' Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "Corey Dryden is a violent and dangerous man who murdered Megan Hughes in her home, where she had the right to be safe."After subjecting her to a horrific assault, he left his partner on the floor to die instead of calling for help."His cruel and callous actions have robbed Megan of her future and left her family and loved ones to deal with this unimaginable loss. Our thoughts remain with them."Ch Insp Laura White described it as a "vicious and calculated attack" and said Dryden had robbed a family of "their mum, daughter, granddaughter, sister and niece".
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Man who stabbed partner 27 times in ‘savage' attack jailed for murder
A man who stabbed his partner 27 times in a 'sustained and savage' attack has been jailed for 18 years. Corey Dryden, 32, murdered 31-year-old Megan Hughes in the Scottish Borders on 9 February. He repeatedly struck and stabbed her with a claw hammer and knife at her home in Chirnside. He then dialled 999 about 4.35am. Ms Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene. Dryden initially claimed that his partner had attacked him and that he had acted in self-defence. However, on 27 June, he admitted to her murder. Dryden attended the hearing, at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, via videolink from prison. He showed no emotion as Lord Harrower sentenced him.
Sky News
5 days ago
- Sky News
Man who stabbed Megan Hughes 27 times in fatal attack jailed for murder
A man who stabbed his partner 27 times before telling detectives "I did really love her" has been jailed for at least 18 years for the "vicious" murder. Corey Dryden, 32, fatally attacked mother-of-two Megan Hughes, 31, at their home in Chirnside, in the Scottish Borders, in February this year. The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Dryden was arrested by police soon after the assault and taken into custody. Prosecutor Tracey Brown said the killer claimed he couldn't remember what he had done and began weeping during his police interview, telling detectives: "I did really love her, you know." While in detention, Dryden was assessed by mental health professionals. When asked by a nurse how he would manage if he was released on bail, he reportedly replied that was "unlikely" as he had "hacked" his girlfriend to death. Dryden last month pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Hughes by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a knife. The charge also contained details of how he repeatedly struck his partner with a hammer "or a similar object" during the attack. Dryden, appearing via videolink, was handed a life sentence with at least 18 years behind bars on Thursday. Defence advocate Lili Prais KC told the court that her client "struggles to comprehend" how he could commit such a crime. The court previously heard how the pair had known each other since childhood but became a couple in February 2024 before moving in together in the July of that year. Ms Hughes had two children from a previous relationship. In December 2024, Dryden was fined £300 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for threatening and abusive behaviour towards Ms Hughes. Lord Harrower heard how on the day before the murder, Dryden sent text messages to friends and loved ones which showed how he was "struggling to manage his emotions within the context of the relationship". One message said he was trying "not to go mental", while another read: "I'm gonna do time, wish I was single." Ms Brown said at about 2.15am on 9 February, a neighbour was wakened by loud banging from the couple's home and could hear Ms Hughes repeatedly shout: "Please help me." The prosecutor added: "She also heard the deceased scream, and the accused say, 'shut up'. The neighbour was about to call 999 but things then quietened down." Dryden dialled 999 at about 4.30am and claimed Ms Hughes had stabbed herself after she had attacked him with a hammer. Officers who responded found Ms Hughes lying on the floor of an upstairs bedroom with a kitchen knife in her right hand. The emergency crews began CPR, but Ms Hughes was later pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination ruled the cause of death as stab wounds to the chest and neck. When being interviewed by police, Dryden claimed Ms Hughes "hated him" and they "argued every day". He said on the night of the murder the pair had each drunk around a bottle and a half of wine, despite Dryden being on painkillers for his leg. He also admitted to recently taking street valium. Dryden claimed Ms Hughes swung a hammer at him after he made a derogatory comment, but he blocked it with his crutch and disarmed her before striking her on the head with the weapon. Dryden admitted the murder, but claimed he had "blanked out" for an unknown period of time. He reportedly told officers: "It was like I was possessed." Detective Chief Inspector Laura White branded Dryden's attack "vicious and calculated". She added: "His actions have robbed a family of their mum, daughter, granddaughter, sister and niece. "Our thoughts very much remain with Megan's family and friends as they come to terms with what happened to her." Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
