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The Sandyford Murder - Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan (The Jessie McLachlan Story)

When servant Jess McPherson was found bludgeoned to death, her employer pointed the finger at her best friend Jessie. But was McLachlan wrongly convicted?

Chuir Jessie McLachlan seachad bliadhnaichean m貌ra sa phr矛osan airson murt a tha sinn cha mh貌r cinnteach nach do rinn 矛. Chaidh a sgeulachd aice a dheanamh ainmeil sa leabhar aig Jack House, 'Square Mile of Murder'. Tha na ceithir c霉isean murt sin fhathast air bilean dhaoine tha e貌lach air f貌irneart ann an Glaschu. A-nise, cluinnear an eachdraidh as 霉r.

Mu cheithir uairean sa mhadainn air 5mh Iuchar 1862, bha tri霉ir pheathraichean a' coiseachd sios 'Sauchiehall Road' ann an Glaschu. Bho thaigh ri taobh a rathaid, chual' iad boireannach a' sgiamhail. Ach cha deach iad faisg air an taigh, feuch a faigheadh iad a-mach d猫 bha ce脿rr.

Nam bitheadh iad air sin a dheanamh, ma dh'fhaodte gum biodh cinnt againn thaobh aithne cheart 'murtair Sandyford Place'.

The case of Jessie McLachlan, known as 'the Sandyford killing', is the third in a four part series looking at Glasgow's notorious 'square mile murders.' Jess McPherson worked at Sandyford Place, part of gentrified Glasgow.

In the early hours of a summer morning in 1862, she was found badly beaten and dying in her basement bedroom. Her best friend Jessie McLachlan was subsequently arrested and accused of murder. There was a public outcry however, when it became evident that McLachlan's wealthy employers were being protected by the authorities.

Jessie McLachlan always denied the murder, and maintained that James Fleming had attacked McPherson in a fit of drunken rage, but despite much evidence against Fleming, a jury found McLachlan guilty and she was sentenced to hang. Despite widespread public sympathy, she went on to serve 15 years in prison after the sentence was commuted. The verdict is still considered one of Scotland's most shocking miscarriages of justice.

45 minutes

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Today 22:30

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Role Contributor
Presenter John Morrison

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