3/3/2008

Local News in Fleet

‘My son’s murderers should be hanged'

The father of Andrew Scanlan, whose murderers were last week sentenced to life behind bars, has spoken of his torment over his son’s death at the hands of his half brothers.

Last Wednesday, James, 30, and Mark Baigent, 27, were found guilty of murdering Andrew and dumping his dismembered body in woodland near Aldershot.

Their friend Jeff Woods, 36, was also convicted of murder for his part in the brutal killing in November 2006.

Malcolm Scanlan spoke exclusively to the Mail, 24 hours after the three men were jailed.
The sentences came after a seven-week trial, in which the jury heard gruesome details about how the Baigent brothers lured Andrew, who was 35 at the time, to Hampshire before killing him with Woods’ help.

Speaking at his home in Holywell Close, Farnborough, Malcolm Scanlan revealed he was relieved at the verdicts and said it was “like a weight off my shoulders”.

He also revealed that when the Baigent brothers were youngsters they would watch violent films and how James was obsessed with knives and guns.

Malcolm was married to Linda Baigent, mother to Andrew and the Baigent brothers, for six years before they broke up. Later, they got back together again for a while.

During the trial, the court heard that the Baigent brothers conspired to murder Andrew because they blamed their mother’s ill health on their half brother.

Malcolm said: “I cared about Linda very much. Andrew was always their (the Baigent brothers) target, because he was my son.

“How could they blame Andrew for her death? She died of cancer.
“There was never any love between any of them. If he had stayed down here with me he would have been OK. I would have looked after him.”

During the trial, the jury were told how after cutting off Andrew’s head and hands, the men buried the remains of the father-of-three in two crude graves in dense woodland on former military land in Hampshire.

The hatred the Baigent brothers had for Andrew dated back to 1998 when Mark Baigent had been given a four-year jail term for attempted robbery and possession of a firearm after Mr Scanlan reported him to police.

Andrew disappeared from his home in Peterborough in November 2006 and his remains were found in January last year after Jeff Woods broke down under questioning and led police to the graves.

An argument eight years ago meant that Malcolm had not seen his son in the years leading up to his death. He described the moment he found out his son’s body had been found.

“Last January, I got a telephone call from my niece to tell me about Andrew,” he said.
“It was the first I heard of it. I couldn’t believe it. I find it shocking they went back to the grave and chopped him up into bits after killing him. You never ever think its going to happen to you, but it does. While the trial was going on I couldn’t sleep. I had to get pills off the doctor to try and keep me calm.”

Malcolm said the news that the Baigent brothers had been given life sentences was like “a great big Christmas present”.

He said: “I would have liked it to have been more. They should be hanged. I would build the gallows myself.
“I heard that they copied the television show CSI. That is a TV programme. It’s not real life. James was the worst one of the two. He was the quietest one, always watching you.
“I never treated James or Mark different to Andrew while I was with Linda. I treated them as if they were my sons.”

As he had not spoken to Andrew in the years before his murder, Malcolm only discovered he has three grandchildren during the course of the trial.

“Falling out with Andrew was the worst thing I ever did in my life,” he said. “It is the biggest regret in my life not talking to Andrew for all those years. If I could go back and change that I would.

“If there is one thing I could say to the three grandchildren it is that I am here for them if they ever need me. Andrew, in his own way, would have really cared for those kids.”

Malcolm, who served in the Royal Electrical and Me-chanical Engineers, is now fighting to get compensation for the grandchildren he didn’t know existed until a few weeks ago.

Malcolm added: “Andrew’s life can’t be judged in terms of money but at least the money would help his children who have to grow up without their dad.”

The 62-year-old has been helped through the traumatic weeks of the trial by his close friend Heather MacAlpine. She said: “I really feel for Malcolm. What can I say or do? He has handled it better than I ever could. He has been an absolute rock. I do whatever I can do to help him.”

Malcolm paid tribute to the support Heather has offered him since he found out about Andrew’s death.

“Heather has been here for me since the start. She is the best thing since sliced bread,” he said. “She really has saved me from going over the top.”

In April, Charlotte Baigent, wife of James Baigent, will be sentenced after the jury found her guilty of assisting the brothers in the cover-up of their horrific crime.

Malcolm said: “I want to know what that woman gets. She should get the same as the rest of them.

“Why it had to be put off to April I don’t know.”

All three murderers were sentenced to life in prison by Judge David Calvert-Smith last week.

James Baigent was told he will serve a minimum of 24 years, Mark Baigent a minimum of 22 years and Jeff Woods a minimum of 20 years

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail