During this morning’s session, the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to Karen’s murder, recounting the final moments of her life for the court.
During a 90-minute hearing, Karen’s family sat through Pacteau’s testimony, in which he admitted to assaulting the young Irish nurse in his car using a spanner. He confirmed that he had met Karen after she left Sanctuary nightclub on the night of April 12th.
With Pacteau remanded in custody pending sentencing on September 8th, Karen’s heartbroken father, John, issued a statement in which he branded his daughter’s murderer “truly evil”.
Describing the family’s trip to Glasgow as “incredibly difficult”, Mr Buckley recalled: “There are no words to describe what we went through. Being told Karen was brutally murdered, and having to phone our three sons and tell them Karen was dead was one of the hardest things we’ve had to do.”
Visibly and audibly emotional, Mr Buckley added: “We are devastated. And all Karen was doing that night was making her way home, when she was randomly targeted and murdered by a cowardly, vicious criminal. He is truly evil, and we hope that he spends the rest of his life behind bars. Our hearts are broken at the thoughts of Karen’s final moments in this world.”
Mr Buckley went on to praise the police and people of Glasgow for their efforts and help in finding Karen, and he shared his family’s heartbreaking hope for the future.
“It’s too late now for Karen, but in the future we hope that Glasgow will be a safer place for any woman to walk in – which is their right – and not have this evil murderer to fear,” he added.
Our thoughts are with the Buckley family at this terrible time.
