Karen Buckley murder: Alexander Pacteau pleads guilty to killing student with

Miss Buckley, a nurse who was studying for a post-graduate qualification at Glasgow Caledonian University, was seen on CCTV leaving The Sanctuary nightclub in the early hours of Sunday April 12.

A major search was launched for Ms Buckley, 24, from Cork, when she was reported missing from the flat she shared with friends after failing to return home from the nightclub in Glasgow’s west end.

Alexander Pacteau is in court in Glasgow today in connection with the death of Cork student Karen Buckley.

The friends went home to their flat at Hill Street and when she had not come home by lunchtime the following day, Sunday April 12th, they contacted police, saying how anxious they were because it was completely out of character for her.

14 April: Police hold a press conference during which Ms Buckley’s parents say they are “desperate” for her to come home safely.

4pm Police arrive at Dorchester Avenue to speak to Pacteau, who is out.

“Karen was our only daughter, cherished by her family and loved by her friends”, he said. She was an outgoing girl who travelled the world where she met lots of people and thoroughly enjoyed her life.

The court heard how Pacteau had met Miss Buckley outside the club in the early hours of the morning and drove with her in his vehicle to nearby Kelvin Way.

“No words of mine can express the effect this awful murder has had on the family”, the Lord Advocate said.

Her father John said: “We want to thank everybody who took part in the search for Karen and the hundreds of people who turned out for the vigil in George Square”.

Derry-born Glaswegian Pauline Bradley composed a song for Karen. Karen’s parents and two of her three brothers were among those who brought candles and flowers.

They were supported Mourneabbey, Co Cork parish priest, Fr Joe O’Keeffe, and a Garda liaison officer.

“Twenty-four years simply does not seem the right time to die – it does not seem to add up”, he said.

He texted his flatmate to make sure he was out for the day, then returned to the flat and left Ms Buckley’s body in the bath. To her family she was a cousin, a niece, a sister-in-law, a sister, a daughter, a child.

“He then said that during intercourse, Karen fell off the bed”. And it is doubly sad when the two are so closely linked.

Chilling CCTV footage shows the 21-year-old calmly loading up his basket and paying for the bottles, which he would then use to try and dissolve Karen’s body.

Fearless Karen had fought for her life. She was buried with her grandparents.