A man who murdered a 23-year-old woman before raping two others next to her corpse has been jailed for life.
Steven Mathieson stabbed escort Luciana Maurer a total of 44 times at his home in Falkirk, before abducting and raping two other women on December 4 last year.
The 38-year old pled guilty to the rape and murder charges at Livingston High Court.
Sentencing him to at least 22 years in prison, a judge told Mathieson his crimes were “truly dreadful” and “wholly depraved”.
Mathieson called the police after the two women he abducted, aged 22 and 26, escaped naked from Springfield House Drive.
He said to the operator: “I’ve been high on drugs and I’ve killed a prostitute.”
The court earlier heard how the car salesman had spent a normal day with his family, going out for a meal with his children while his partner of 10 years went on a night out.
However, after dropping off one of his children at a grandparent’s house and putting his younger son to bed, Mathieson telephoned for an escort to come to the house.
Mathieson, who was high on cocaine, stabbed Romanian-born Luciana Maurer to death before texting the word “sorry” to his partner.
He then summoned two more escorts, who found Ms Maurer’s body lying on the bed in an upstairs bedroom.
Mathieson blocked the doorway and picked up two knives, forcing the women to strip naked and surrender their mobile phones. He raped both of them in the bedroom and again downstairs in the living room.
He told them: “I’ve done this to show my wife something.”
Escape
However, when he went to the window, thinking his partner had returned, his victims ran for the door and managed to escape, despite Mathieson striking one of them on the leg with a knife.
Officers attended and found him on his knees in the living room, holding his hands out to be arrested.
Mathieson was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum punishment period of 22 years before he can be considered for release. His name was added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Lord Bannatyne told him that his use of cocaine was “not mitigation” for his “terrible and senseless crimes”.
He said: “This is an appalling case. The crimes you have committed are truly dreadful.
“The lives of these people have been devastated by what you did. A particularly appalling part of the attack on these women was that the initial part of it took place in the bedroom where the body of the deceased was lying.
“Your actings can only be described as wholly depraved.”
Detective Inspector David Pinkney, of Police Scotland’s major investigations team, said the highly unusual case was a “one off”, and revealed that the only contact Mr Mathieson had previously had with the police was when he was once stopped for not wearing a seatbelt.
“I have no idea how this came about and Mr Mathieson has provided no motive,” he said.
“I have never met Mr Mathieson and I would not want to. There is no rationale or reason for what he did.”
DI Pinkney, speaking at a press conference at Leith Police Station, added: “The only contact he has had with police prior to this was when he was once stopped for not wearing a seatbelt.
“It happened in a very quiet area and it has shocked the local community. I only hope that his sentencing today provides some comfort for the victims and their families.
He also commended the two “incredibly brave” girls who managed to escape Mr Mathieson’s flat.
“I would like to pay tribute to the immense bravery that these girls showed. It was a brutal, frenzied attack and they would have been in fear for their lives.
“Both of them decided to stay in the country to see an end to this, and their determination has helped bring him to justice.
“This happened in a very quiet area of Falkirk and the circumstances were very unusual.
“Mr Mathieson has not only caused devastation to the victims and their families, but untold grief to his wife and two young children.
“I believe that this is a one-off case, and I hope that today’s sentencing provides some solace.”
