Man who hid landlady’s body in storage unit jailed

A man who murdered his landlady and hid her body in a storage locker has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

Scott Paterson, 45, lodged with 74-year-old Annette Smith at Fairfield Park near Stotfold, Bedfordshire.

He admitted murdering and dismembering Ms Smith, then hiding her remains in a storage unit in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

Sentencing him to life in prison, Mr Justice Murray said Paterson had told "an elaborate lie" to Ms Smith’s friends and family to try to cover up his crime.

However, Paterson, who had stolen Ms Smith's jewellery and sold it online, said he also wanted to be caught and hoped someone would find her body.

Luton Crown Court heard he would say to himself in the mirror "I killed someone".

Paterson had debts of about £30,000 and had sold Ms Smith’s jewellery before and after she died for more than £5,000.

The court heard Ms Smith and Paterson had become friends and she had invited him to lodge in her spare room rent-free, in exchange for company and running errands.

They had also gone on holiday together.

After she had a stroke, her mobility was affected and Paterson acted as her carer, collecting medicine and washing her.

Ms Smith’s stepson Jason Smith said he "became concerned that having Scott Paterson there wasn’t a good thing for her" and the house was not being properly looked after.

Paterson was employed at a local farm shop and had done a butchery course.

Ms Smith was last seen by friends in November 2023, and Paterson told neighbours on Hardy Way that she had gone to stay with a friend.

Police said he also used her email account to send Christmas messages and Moonpig cards to family and friends to pretend that she was still alive.

However, some messages "did not ring true" because of "multiple kisses at the end of the email".

Family members began to suspect something was wrong and on 10 January her ex-husband Peter Smith reported her missing.

He "wasn't satisfied with the police response" and engaged a private investigator, before finding Ms Smith’s passport, mobile phone and belongings at her house.

Bedfordshire Police then opened an investigation and discovered her remains at the storage locker.

Paterson told investigators he had suffocated her with a pillow and initially attempted to hide her body in the house.

The court heard that on 14 November, an estate agent visited the house, but did not spot remains hidden in a cupboard under the stairs.

The killer put her body in a suitcase and took it to the storage unit.

The judge said to Paterson: "You told her friends and family an elaborate lie.

"Because of your lies, the police concluded there was not evidence at that time to say she was genuinely missing."

Jason Smith said his stepmother "was very vulnerable due to her mobility issues".

"I consider Annette as my mother and I loved her dearly," he said.

"She was one of the kindest and most caring people; I can't understand why anyone would want to harm her.

"I have to try very hard not to think about what he did to her. He seemed a nice friendly guy, but he was a murderer.

"I'll never forgive him."

A cousin of Ms Smith said she "brought so much joy into our family" and "we love and miss you so much".

"Paterson took her away from us in such a cruel way. We are going through pain every single day - endlessly worrying about what she went through," she said.

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