An Edinburgh killer, who notoriously played played Candy Crush after battering her elderly neighbour with a rolling pin, has been released from prison on compassionate grounds.
Our sister title the Sunday Mail can reveal that Sandra Weir, jailed for the vicious murder of 82-year-old Mary Logie, was granted early release by Justice Minister Keith Brown after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
READ MORE - We walked through Edinburgh to what state city is in on day three of the bin strike
The drug addict, whose crime was described by a judge as “breathtakingly wicked”, had been ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years behind bars – at the time one of the longest life sentences for a woman in Scottish legal history.Weir, 47, who served seven years of her life sentence, left prison last week for a hospice after her application to be released on compassionate grounds was granted.
But horrified friends of grandmother Mary, from Leven, Fife, said they had no idea that Weir was out.
Next-door neighbour Gwen Smith, 70, who found Mary’s body, said: ”She showed no compassion to Mary so why should she be shown any? She shouldn’t have been allowed out. She should have died in jail.”
During the murder trial in Edinburgh, the court heard how Weir struck Mary 31 times in a barbaric attack rather than pay back £4000 she’d stolen from the pensioner’s bank account.
The jury heard how she befriended next-door neighbour Mary and acted as her unofficial carer. But during a 14-month period she stole money from the pensioner’s bank account to fund her £100-a-day drug habit.
Weir carried out the attack in January 2016 after the grandmother threatened to go to the police when she found out about the thefts.
She battered the former legal secretary with her own rolling pin, leaving her with horrific head injuries. After picking up methadone from a chemist and £90 worth of heroin from dealers, Weir returned to find Mary still alive. She is believed to have carried out a second attack, which resulted in her death.
The ambulance crew called to the scene found there was little they could do for the mother of three, who lived on her own. Weir had hit Mary on the head and neck with the rolling pin so many times that her brain was exposed in her shattered skull.
After the discovery of Mary’s body by Gwen, Weir casually played the game Candy Crush on her phone while she waited for police to question her.
The trial judge said, after he jailed her in January 2017: “Some crimes still have the power to shock. The murder of Mrs Logie is surely one such crime. I can’t find the words to truly reflect the cruelty of what you did.”
The evidence of Gwen, a retired carer, was vital in securing Weir’s conviction
She said:”What Weir did has affected a lot of lives. I suffer from it even to this day.
“I’m sure everyone locally will be shocked by Weir getting out so soon after being sent to prison.
“You could not have asked for a better neighbour than Mary.”
Weir spent her last day at Saughton jail in Edinburgh on Tuesday before being released into the community. She had been receiving hospital treatment for several weeks.
The killer is one of 18 inmates who have been given compassionate leave since 2016 because they are dying. The list includes three criminals convicted for murder, four for sexual offences and one for culpable homicide.
The most high-profile figure released on compassionate grounds in Scotland was the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. He was allowed to return to Libya in August 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. However, he did not die until 2012.
READ NEXT:
Edinburgh diner accidentally included in email from restaurant staff after complaint
Edinburgh pub hits back at 'cruel' newlyweds whose wedding party was 'too big'
Edinburgh single mum struggling to find a home as kids miss start of school term
Edinburgh property: Fairytale mansion boasting a library and gym hits the market
Edinburgh bar 'sorry' after customer complains about birthday cocktail 'mix up'
