Chilling moment man calmly confesses to murdering OAP landlady he then pretended was still alive

Chilling video footage has captured the moment a farm shop worker who chopped up his elderly landlady after killing her calmly confessed to her murder.

In footage from a police interview, Scott Paterson can be heard clearly explaining to an officer that he placed a pillow over Annette Smith's face while she slept, keeping it there until she died. The 45-year-old began living with Ms Smith rent-free years ago, after his relationship broke down.

The court was told he and Ms Smith had a close relationship, went on holiday together and hosted dinner parties. In 2018, Ms Smith had a stroke which limited her mobility and Paterson took on caring responsibilities, including collecting prescriptions and doing her shopping.

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On November 8, 2023, Paterson entered Ms Smith’s bedroom and suffocated her with a pillow. He left her in her bed and drank a bottle of wine before dragging her body into the bathroom and wrapping it in a green blanket.

During the police interview, the officer asked him to explain what had happened. Paterson calmly said: "I suffocated her, in her bed with a pillow. It happened in the evening after Annette fell asleep, and I put a pillow over her face until she stopped breathing and I left her in bed for the night."

Asked about what had happened that day, he added: "I just wanted to get out of the situation. In hindsight, there were obviously better ways to have done that, but it just felt like what I should do."

Prosecutors told the court he had continued to talk to her about “everyday things like normal”. He moved the body to a cupboard under the stairs after receiving notice that a photographer from the estate agent would be coming to take pictures of the house.

Paterson, who was working on a deli and butcher counter at a farm shop at the time, later dismembered Ms Smith’s body with a kitchen knife and saw. He wrapped parts of her body in plastic bags and hid her torso inside a black suitcase, which he took to the storage unit in Letchworth.

In an effort to pretend she was still alive, Paterson used his victim’s email address to send messages and Moonpig cards to family and friends. However, in January 2021 Ms Smith’s family raised concerns with about her welfare.

Police discovered her passport and clothing were still at the home along with her laptop which had sent the Christmas messages. Paterson was arrested, telling police he was guilty and he even directed officers to a storage unit where he had hidden her remains.

He said he had considered killing Ms Smith at least twice before and had only stopped himself when he reached her bedroom door. He also told officers he had racked up £30,000 in credit card debt and admitted that he had been stealing jewellery from Ms Smith, both while she slept and after her death. He had been selling the jewellery on Cash4Gold, the court heard.

Today, he was sentenced to life in prison and must serve a minimum of 19 years and 178 days behind bars. Judge Edward Murray described Paterson’s actions as “awful” and “callous”, adding: “My sentence that I pass today cannot compensate for the families and friends of Annette Smith or her tragic loss.”