A MAN who killed a South Gloucestershire mother and her two-year-old daughter before burying their bodies under his kitchen floor has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 36 years.
Andrew Innes, was found guilty of murdering Bennylyn Burke, 25, and her child Jellica Burke, who lived in Kingswood after a five-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The 52-year-old was also convicted of sexually abusing the toddler and raping another child at his Dundee home between February 20 and March 5 2021.
Bennylyn and Jellica Burke’s family said they would be “forever haunted” by Innes’s crimes.
Passing the sentence yesterday (February 6), Lord Beckett said the “difficult and harrowing” case was one of the worst to have come before a Scottish court.
Dr Gordon Cowan, a psychiatrist, told the court Innes had changed his story multiple times when asked why he killed Ms Burke.
At first it was acting in self-defence, then he heard voices, before Innes finally settled on his hybrid-vision story.
In a statement via the Crown Office’s Victim Information and Advice service, the victims’ family, who travelled from the Philippines to attend the trial, said: “A big part of our family has been torn from us. We shall never see Bennylyn and Jellica again.
“We shall never know our beloved Jellica or ever see her grow up.”
The statement continued: “We shall be forever haunted by what happened to (Bennylyn) in this far-off place such a long way from us, her family.”
“There is nothing that can restore Bennylyn and Jellica to us. But the jury’s guilty verdict for murder provides some comfort to our family and friends and brings justice for Bennylyn and Jellica.”
Avon and Somerset Police Detective Inspector Will Thorpe said: “Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Bennylyn and Jellica Burke.
“This is a truly tragic case which saw two lives cut short by the horrific actions of one man.
“We launched a missing persons enquiry upon their disappearance being reported to us in March 2021 and it was through diligent analysis from detectives that we managed to link Andrew Innes to the investigation.
“Once his vehicle movements were traced from South Gloucestershire back north, we asked Police Scotland colleagues to assist and attend Innes’ address in Dundee and hoped to find Bennylyn and Jellica safe and well.
"Sadly, that was not to be the case.
“The community response to their disappearance showed both mother and daughter were much-loved and our sympathies today go out to all those affected.
"Such incidents are incredibly rare, but that does not make them any less heart-breaking.”
Judge Lord Beckett sentenced Innes to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 36 years behind bars.
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