Man who killed former lover for loose change jailed for 17 years

A Portuguese labourer who bludgeoned his former lover to death so he could steal £500 in loose change to pay off his debts has been jailed for life.

Paolo Parracho, 39, carried out the brutal attack on Tracey Scott at her home in Paisley on 23 April last year.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how he was later captured on CCTV feeding coins into a cash changing machine.



Judge Lord Matthews ordered Parracho to be detained for at least 17 years before being considered for parole.

The court heard how Parracho had developed a cocaine habit and owed a colleague £400 and was also behind on his mortgage.

He smashed Ms Scott's skull with a blunt instrument and took £483.90 in coins she had been saving to buy some new furniture. The 41-year-old was hit with such force that a piece of her skull was found lying beside her body.