Lawyers paid almost £40k legal aid to defend monster who murdered Bennylyn Burke and her daughter Jellica
LAWYERS were paid almost £40,000 to defend Andrew Innes while he was on trial for killing Bennylyn Burke and her daughter Jellica, we can reveal.
The 53-year-old was sentenced to 36 years behind bars following five-days of evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh in January.
Bennylyn, 25, and Jellica, two, were buried under the fiend’s kitchen floor in Dundee after he murdered them.
Now we can reveal that lawyers acting for the murderer have been paid £37, 785.
Innes - represented by top KC Brian McConnachie during the trial - was entitled to the public money despite still owning the home where he carried out the killings.
He ignored Covid restrictions to drive his victims 440 miles from Bristol to Dundee before killing them.
He repeatedly struck Bennylyn on the head with a hammer and knife handle instrument at his property in Troon Avenue, Dundee, between February 20 and March 5, 2021.
Jellica was asphyxiated by the fiend.
He then buried the tragic pair under his kitchen floor at the property, which he bought for £175,000 in 2006.
The brute admitted slaying Bennylyn — who he met on website Filipino Cupid — and Jellica but denied their murders, claiming diminished responsibility.
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But he was convicted of both murders, plus sexually assaulting Jellica, raping a girl of seven and a bid to defeat justice.
Last night a spokesperson for the Scottish Legal Aid Board said: “Anyone charged with a serious criminal offence has the right to a fair trial and effective representation helps ensure that.
“Legal aid is granted automatically in cases where the nature of the offences prohibits someone from conducting their own defence and a solicitor is appointed by the court.
“As well as preventing miscarriages of justice, legal aid is paid directly to lawyers to provide representation for an accused which helps the trial process to run smoothly, and can help reduce inconvenience and distress for victims and witnesses.”
Innes has launched an appeal against his conviction and sentence.
We told how the sick double murderer demanded Wills and Kate be rapped over a Royal tour during lockdown.
He called for them to be “censured” — despite the fiend later flouting curbs to lure his victims to their deaths.
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