A 29-year-old man has been convicted of killing a stranger by shoving her from a pier into the ocean.
Jacob Foster denied homicide, claiming the incident was an ‘accident’ and that he solely ‘pushed’ Charmaine O’Donnell, 25, for ‘a little bit of enjoyable’.
Charity employee Charmaine died from extreme neck accidents and drowning and her physique was recovered from the water in Helensburgh, Scotland.
Foster’s attorneys argued his studying disabilities meant he misunderstood a remark Charmaine supposedly made about going into the water.
After they lodged a particular defence of diminished duty at Glasgow Crown Court docket he was convicted of culpable murder, roughly equal to the cost of manslaughter in English and Welsh courts.
Charmaine, from Glasgow, had been on furlough from her job at a British Coronary heart Basis store when she took her buddy Caitlin McTaggart to close by Helensburg for a day journey in April 2021.
They bought chatting to a gaggle of males fishing on the pier, from which children had been leaping off from to swim within the water.
One of many males recalled Foster shoving Charmaine ‘with each arms’ whereas her again was turned to him, including: ‘It was simply carnage after that.’
Caitlin described listening to a ‘commotion’ and realising somebody had gone over the railings.
She didn't know who it was till somebody shouted: ‘That’s your pal.’
A number of of the children instantly tried to assist Charmaine, whereas Caitlin started ‘screaming at [Foster] to assist her’, the court docket heard.
Caitlin informed jurors: ‘He simply stored saying: “What have I achieved? I've taken it too far this time. I'm going away for a very long time”.’
PC Gary Davidson, who spoke to Foster on the pier after the incident, informed the court docket: ‘He stated that it was an accident. He stated: “I simply pushed her. It was only a little bit of enjoyable”.
‘He stated that he had a couple of cans that day.
‘I stated to him one of the best factor was to remain calm and never say something, however he stated these items many times.’
Foster was stated to have added: ‘I didn't know that she couldn't swim.’
Sean Templeton, defending, had requested for Foster to be acquitted of all fees, including: ‘It was a younger man with studying difficulties who bought it flawed.’
After the decision it emerged the defendant had a number of earlier convictions together with assault in opposition to a espresso store employee in the identical city in 2018.
The case was adjourned for sentencing at a later date, with Foster allowed to remain free on bail owing to the ‘very uncommon circumstances’ of the case.
Charmaine was described as a ‘loving and selfless particular person’ whose loss of life has introduced ‘untold and persevering with grief’ to her family members.
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