Brenda Page’s sister hits out at killer husband for trying to appeal murder conviction

The sister of a “brilliant” scientist who was beaten to death by her ex-husband has hit the killer for trying to appeal his murder conviction and “prolonging her family’s agony”.

Brenda Page, 32, was found dead on her blood-stained bed at her Aberdeen home in July 1978 – about a year after her divorce from Christopher Harrisson.

Harrisson, 82, denied that Dr. Page was found guilty of murder after a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen earlier this month.

He was imprisoned for life and sentenced to at least 20 years in prison before he could apply for parole. But the killer has now launched a motion for freedom after directing his legal team to appeal both his conviction and sentence.

The sister of ‘brilliant’ scientist Brenda Page (pictured) has slapped killer Christopher Harrisson for trying to appeal his murder conviction and ‘prolonging her family’s agony’.

Christopher Harrisson, 82, (pictured in February 2023) denied killing Ms Page but was found guilty of murder after a trial in the High Court in Aberdeen earlier this month

Harrisson’s appeal has been lodged with the High Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh and a hearing will be held at a later date.

dr Page’s sister Rita Ling, 88, said Harrisson is causing further damage to the family by refusing to admit his guilt.

She said: “This is very unwelcome news but I’m not surprised because as far as he’s concerned, nothing is his fault.

“I was really hoping we could put it all behind us and I thought it was over.

“It took so long for the case to even get to court and now we have to wait again for it to be over.”

dr Page was subjected to a “continued and vicious” assault by Harrisson on 14 July 1978 in what has become one of Scotland’s most notorious unsolved murders.

She was struck about 30 times in the head, face and body with a blunt chisel-like object and died of blood poisoning at her home in Aberdeen.

According to reports, he probably attacked Dr. Page as she sat or lay on her bed.

Police arrested Harrisson at the time, but it was decided there was insufficient evidence to bring him to justice. However, the case was re-examined in 2015.

Using new scientific techniques, prosecutors were able to prove Harrisson beat his former wife to death after spending decades pleading his innocence.

A tiny speck of color reminiscent of Dr. Page’s bedroom window – which had been forced open – was matched to the paint on Harrisson’s Mini Traveler. DNA samples from Dr. Page were examined using modern forensic techniques.

The court heard a sperm sample was 590 million times more likely to come from Harrisson than from another man not related to him.

Harrisson (pictured) was jailed for life and sentenced to at least 20 years before he could apply for parole. But the killer has now filed for his freedom after instructing his legal team to appeal both his conviction and sentence

dr Page was struck about 30 times in the head, face and body with a blunt, chisel-like object and died of blood poisoning at her home in Aberdeen (pictured) on July 14, 1978

dr Page was subjected to a “continued and vicious” assault by Harrisson on 14 July 1978 in what has become one of Scotland’s most notorious unsolved murders. Pictured: The bedroom window through which Harrison Dr. entered Page’s house

Flakes of paint found near her bedroom window (pictured), which had been forced open, were the same as those found on her ex-husband’s green mini-subway car

Harrisson had Dr. Met Page, Head of the Department of Genetics at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, when they were students at Glasgow University in 1970

Harrisson had Dr. Met Page, Head of the Department of Genetics at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, when they were students at Glasgow University in 1970.

They married in 1972 but divorced five years later.

The process heard that Dr. Page lived in fear of Harrisson after their split, with prosecutors claiming he was “consumed with anger and rage” and upset by her part-time job at an escort agency.

Two years before her brutal murder, Dr. Page to her friend and mentor Dr. Adrienne Jessop: “If he kills me, he’ll get away with it because he’s so smart.”

dr Jessop said she will “never forget” what her friend said to her and told the Times “it shook me up”.

Nicol Hosie, 72, was Dr. Page’s divorce attorney during her escape from the abusive marriage to Harrisson.

letters from dr Page to Ms. Hosie described Harrisson’s violent temper, death threats and beatings that left her with missing tufts of hair.

She also asked Ms. Hosie for a “good autopsy” if she died suddenly.

dr Page headed the Department of Genetics at the University of Aberdeen and was one of the few women in a leading role in science at the time.

He was interrogated by the Grampian Police but released without charge and left the country to start a new life in the Netherlands. Pictured: Harrisson at about the time of the murder

dr Page wrote chilling letters saying, “If I leave this earth quite suddenly… please make sure I get a good autopsy.”

Lord Richardson, the judge, said earlier this month that the life of Dr. Page met a “brutal and premature end” as a result of a “senseless act of violence” and her potential was not realized. dr Page is pictured above

In her free time, Dr. Page in a second job as an escort named Miss Brenda Adams, which after her frenzied murder led to theories that a client had killed her.

These theories were quickly dismissed by police, who reportedly thought Harrisson was at fault but had insufficient evidence to prosecute him.

He was interrogated by the Grampian Police but released without charge and left the country to start a new life in the Netherlands.

The cold case was investigated in 2015 and new witnesses and DNA evidence were found, eventually leading to a conviction of Dr. Page secured.

Lord Richardson, the judge, said earlier this month that the life of Dr. Page met a “brutal and premature end” as a result of a “senseless act of violence” and her potential was not realized.

He told Harrisson: “It seems that you followed Brenda Page that night; Forced entry into her apartment by prying open her rear window while she was outside waiting for her return.

“They created a void in the lives of their mother, sister, nephew and friends that could never be filled.

“Your potential as a brilliant scientist was forever destroyed by your violence.”

In her free time, she worked a side job as an escort named Miss Brenda Adams, which, following her frenzied murder, led to theories that a client had killed her, but those theories were quickly dismissed by police. Pictured: The back of Dr. Page’s apartment

The brutal killer was finally convicted after new DNA evidence was discovered. Pictured: Christopher Harrisson’s car

Harrisson suggested transplanting a blood-stained watch strap (pictured) found in the fireplace at his home

Harrisson is believed to have used a chisel-tipped object to prevent Dr. Pages forced a window and hid in her closet while waiting for his ex-wife to come home in the early hours.

A friend and colleague of Harrisson’s told police he taught the killer how to take apart a window “piece by piece” the winter before the murder.

Harrisson had claimed he was locked out, so the colleague showed him how to get in without breaking the glass.

A spokesman for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said: “We have received a letter of intent to appeal the conviction and judgment, together with a request for an extension of time.”