Murdering husband Walter Buchanan rubbed shoulders with Scottish celebrities at a ‘Saints and Sinners’ event – and was even crowned Best Dressed at the bash.
The 66-year-old is currently behind bars awaiting a sentencing after being convicted of killing his wife of six years, Darrel Buchanan, who was 29 years his junior.
And we can reveal that before he and a previous partner were hailed at the 2013 event, as they partied alongside ex-Celtic star Frank McAvennie, former Hoops captain Tom Boyd, and presenter Jackie Bird.
He and his then-partner won Best Dressed Couple at the fundraiser, which took place at Hamilton Park Racecourse, in aid of the Saints and Sinners Club of Scotland.
He was wearing a pink open-necked shirt and dark suit at the SuperSix fixture, which helped to raise money which was then distributed to more than 100 charities.
Former Scottish goalkeeper Alan Rough hosted his own table at the event, with Tommy Sheridan, Jackie Bird, and Ian McLeod also in attendance. Horse racing fans also attended the evening.
Many incorporated the famous fixture’s red and white colours into their outfits. At the time, Philip Martin, racing convenor for Saints and Sinners, said: “We’d like to thank Hamilton Park Racecourse for hosting our annual race meeting.
“Each year, the club raise and distribute more than £120,000 to 140 small Scottish charities. The race meeting is one of our principal fund-raising events and we’d like to thank everyone for their attendance.”
Buchanan beamed in a photograph alongside Jack McAvennie and Jackie Bird. But he had the smile firmly wiped off his face yesterday when he was convicted of murder.
The High Court in Glasgow heard he attacked Darrel Buchanan at their posh home near to the same racecourse after she accused him of cheating on her.
He choked the 37-year-old a chartered surveyor, who was originally from Kenya, at their upmarket Lanarkshire property on February 18, 2023.
He denied murdering Darrel, whom he met on holiday in Thailand in 2015 and married in 2017, but was found guilty by a jury following a trial.
The court heard he had spent the night before the fatal attack out with friends in Bothwell, Lanarkshire. It’s understood Darrel was unhappy and claimed Buchanan was happier when he was with other people rather than her.
Buchanan claimed she sent him a text which said: “I guess you are having fun in Bothwell without your wife, cheater” and that she accused him of cheating again when got home.
He said she “lunged” at her before he “connected” with her, grabbing her hair, before they both fell, and she was dragged across the floor and that he left the room.
He said she called him a “cheater” again after he went to bed, seeing him grabbing her by the wrists, pushing her onto the bed and getting on top of her. Buchanan added: “She was still flailing her arms – I was defending myself with one arm.
“I remember putting my hand on her face and pushed her.” He admitted placing his hands around her neck, saying “it was seconds – and it was with one hand” and pushed her into a pillow before she rolled over onto her side.
But the jury convicted Buchanan, who had been on bail during the trial, and he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing. He will learn his fate when he returns to the dock next month.
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