A jury has been asked to consider claims a woman accused of murdering her partner in her Dundee home acted in self-defence.
Kerri Hutcheson, 34, told her trial at the city’s High Court that Graeme Hutcheson died after she swiped away a knife that he was clutching.
The 33-year-old, originally of Glasgow, died on March 7 2022 at Hutcheson’s home on Whitfield Avenue after suffering a single stab wound through his heart.
In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor John Keenan KC described Hutcheson’s explanation as “implausible” and accused her of changing her version of events.
Defence counsel Mark Stewart KC argued, however, that Hutcheson was under threat at Mr Hutcheson’s hands and urged the jury to acquit his client.
Account was ‘implausible’
Mr Keenan said: “Statements made by Kerri Hutcheson point to the truth of what happened that evening.
“Earlier that evening, to her friend on WhatsApp she said more than once she was ‘raging’ and later that she was ‘ready to blow’.
“After that incident, even before she was arrested for murder, she stated [to a police officer following the incident] it was a ‘moment of madness’ and ‘I could jump up and murder you the way I was earlier on’.
“These are just examples of statements by the accused which demonstrate what, in my submission, was a murderous act on Graeme Hutcheson, ending his life in a matter of minutes.”
It was alleged by Mr Keenan that Hutcheson’s account of what happened with the knife was “implausible”.
Hutcheson said in her evidence that Mr Hutcheson, who split his time between Glasgow and Dundee, grabbed an eight-inch knife from the dish rack and brandished it at her after she said she wanted to end their four-month relationship.
The pair – who coincidentally shared a surname and were not married – had been arguing over a four-day period with the row allegedly triggered by Mr Hutcheson taking issue with his partner going on a night out to the bingo.
Neighbours overheard shouting and swearing hours before Mr Hutcheson was pronounced dead at around 11.35pm that night.
Mr Keenan said Hutcheson could not provide clarity on exactly how Mr Hutcheson suffered his ultimately fatal injury.
Referring to the harrowing 999 call in which Mr Hutcheson could be heard groaning, Mr Keenan said Hutcheson expressed a “lack of candour”.
He alleged Hutcheson avoided questions from the call handler, at times focusing on her own injury. She was found to have a minor cut on the back of her left hand.
“What’s going on in the course of that 999 call is the accused is scrambling around to try and find ways of not saying what’s happening,” Mr Keenan said.
The advocate depute referred to the various comments Hutcheson made to the police officer, including asking if she was a murderer as well as the messages she sent to a friend a few hours before Mr Hutcheson’s death.
Mr Keenan added: “She repeatedly describes what happened as murder even before her arrest.
“She talks about getting years in jail. These comments are eloquent of her guilt and the fact she realised the enormity and seriousness of what she had done.”
In earlier evidence, jurors were informed of Mr Hutcheson’s previous convictions in Glasgow for domestic abuse.
‘He was effectively the victim of his own choice’
Mr Stewart held the knife, contained in a tube within an evidence bag, in front of jurors during part of his speech.
He said: “It’s all very nice to say ‘well Kerri Hutcheson has a limited injury’.
“Should she wait to be sliced up with that? That’s a big knife. Eight inches. Solid steel. Stiletto sharp.
“Would you wait for that to strike you a second time? It certainly struck Kerri Hutcheson once. The law says you don’t need to wait.”
Mr Stewart said Mr Hutcheson exhibited “the absolute nuts and bolts of controlling behaviour” by “bombarding” Hutcheson with calls and messages on the night of the bingo.
The court also heard evidence of Mr Hutcheson making an unplanned journey to Dundee the next day, apologising to his partner and staying into Monday.
The defence counsel referred to evidence of Hutcheson’s friend, Danielle Ramsay, where she described Hutcheson as speaking in a “low voice” during a phone call on the night of the argument.
“Why was Kerri Hutcheson whispering to people in her own house?” Mr Stewart said.
“She’s scared of Mr Hutcheson. He comes downstairs and demands to know who is she on the phone to.
“What is she, some sort of possession? The Crown submit that everything was over and done with. It’s not over.
“This is a persistent, verbal, abusive assault sustained against Kerri Hutcheson. Her manner is calm and non-confrontational.”
Mr Stewart said Hutcheson’s self-defence was highlighted by the fact drops of her blood were found on Mr Hutcheson’s toe.
He added: “This is not a lady prone to picking up a knife and sticking it into someone for no good reason.
“The background is clear as to who the aggressor is. In warding him off, he was effectively the victim of his own choice.
“He introduced violence. He introduced weapons and he introduced confrontation which ultimately cost him his life.”
Hutcheson, of Harcourt Street, denies murdering Graeme Hutcheson on March 7 2022 at her former home on Whitfield Avenue. She claims she acted in self-defence.
The jury is now considering its verdict and the trial, before judge Lady Drummond, continues.
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