A Blairgowrie man’s bedside vigil as his daughter fought for her life following an incident at a Greenock hotel has ended in tragedy.
Nicola McDonough, 23, was found with severe injuries at the town’s Premier Inn on Friday. She succumbed to those injuries on Monday evening.
Her father Thomas McDonough’s ex-wife Margaret, 52, was found injured in a nearby room on Friday and later died in hospital.
Police said the women were not stabbed but would not be drawn on the nature of their injuries.
Mr McDonough was understood to have travelled from Perthshire to be with his daughter at Inverclyde Royal Hospital.
As Nicola had remained in a critical condition, police had been unable to question her. However, they have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Mr McDonough’s partner Lindsay Durward was too upset to speak at their Blairgowrie home.
“I’ve nothing to say,” she said, fighting back tears. “I don’t want to say ‘no comment’ but it has to be no comment.”
Detective Inspector David Wagstaff said: “We are still piecing together the last known movements of Margaret and Nicola. Our inquiries have revealed that after last being seen in the Paisley area around 9am on Thursday May 9, both travelled to the Balloch area and we have a sighting of them around 11am that day in Carrochan Road in Balloch.
“We know that Margaret and Nicola checked into the Premier Inn in Greenock around 3.40pm on the Thursday. A short time later they left and then returned to the hotel around 12.30am and 1am.”
It understood that Mr McDonough, his ex-wife and daughter are all from Paisley.
Mr McDonough’s neighbours in Blairgowrie say he and his partner “keep themselves to themselves”.
“He’s always pleasant,” said one man, who asked to remain anonymous. “We give each other a nod but I don’t really know anything about him. He only moved into the area a few years ago, I think.”
Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said: “I speak to him in passing and we say good morning and good afternoon, but that’s the extent of it.”
Police are keen to speak to anyone who saw Margaret or Nicola in Paisley, Balloch or Greenock in the hours leading up to the incident. They were travelling in a red Suzuki Swift, registration SL56 CBF.
Mr Wagstaff said: “I’d like to make it clear that at present we are keeping an open mind on the circumstances. However, we can confirm that we are not looking for any third party at this time.
“I would urge anyone with information, however insignificant it might seem, to get in touch with police.”