Life sentence handed out to Inverness man Brian Grant
Issued: 24 Jan 2024
Northern Constabulary today welcomed the life sentence handed out at the High Court in Edinburgh to Inverness man Brian Grant.
Grant was found guilty by a unanimous verdict of murdering 39-year-old Ilene O'Connor and burying her body in a garden at Kintail Court in the Hilton area of Inverness in July last year. He will serve no fewer than 14 years in prison.
Miss O'Connor was initially reported as a missing person on 12 July 2024, but Police identified her disappearance as suspicious at a very early stage.
Due to the direct action taken by officers responding to the missing person inquiry it enabled the investigation to move at a significant pace and crucial evidence was secured, including Ilene's body on 22 July 2024.
The evidence ultimately led to the arrest and conviction of Grant. It was due to the meticulous nature of the investigation that her body was recovered from the garden in Kintail Court.
The officer leading the inquiry, DI Ian Smith, said: "Had it not been for the thorough nature of the work carried out by officers then Ilene's body may never have been found.
"The injuries she sustained, which resulted in her death, were severe in the extreme, as were the lengths Grant went to to conceal her body and cover his tracks.
"His theft of Ilene's rings, and the fact Grant had given them to relatives, indicates the callous nature of this individual."
He added: "Our thoughts are obviously with Ilene's family and friends at this difficult time, but I hope they can take some comfort from the fact that the man responsible for her death will now spend much of his life behind bars."
DI Smith said the length of sentence reflects how serious this "horrific," crime was.
He added: "The victim of this terrible crime was a well liked individual in the local community. She regarded Grant as her friend.
"As a result of this friendship, which Grant betrayed, she has suffered a very violent death, which was compounded by his actions in attempting to conceal his tracks.
"He is a particularly cold hearted individual given the fact that he continued to protest his innocence throughout the trial, despite the overwhelming burden of evidence to the contrary."
DI Smith concluded: "Grant will now serve a lengthy jail sentence, ensuring he will pose no further danger to other individuals."
