A geneticist who was bludgeoned to death by her ex-husband predicted he would get away with murdering her, and he did for 45 years — until today.
Dr Brenda Page, 32, was hit around 30 times on her head, face and body with a blunt chisel-like object and died from blood inhalation at her flat in Aberdeen, on July 14, 1978.
Her ex-husband and fellow scientist Christopher ‘Kit’ Harrisson, now 82, was convicted of her murder today after a tiny flake of paint found on Dr Page’s window helped solve the 45-year-old case.
Two years before her brutal murder, Dr Page told her friend and mentor Dr Adrienne Jessop: ‘If he kills me he will get away with it because he is so clever.’
More than 4,000 people were spoken to since Police Scotland first opened the murder investigation and at least 3,000 statements were taken, including 500 since the case was reopened in 2015.
Dr Brenda Page, 32, (pictured) was hit around 30 times on her head, face and body with a blunt chisel-like object and died from blood inhalation at her flat in Aberdeen, on July 14, 1978
Her ex-husband Christopher ‘Kit’ Harrisson, now 82, (pictured today) was convicted of her murder today
Dr Page divorced Harrisson after he beat her during their abusive marriage. He murdered her before claiming his innocence for 45 years
A tiny flake of paint found on Dr Page’s window (pictured) helped solve the 45-year-old case that was first opened in 1978
Murderer Harrisson will most likely die behind bars after being jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years
Dr Jessop said she will ‘never forget’ what her friend told her and told The Times ‘it shattered me’.
Nicol Hosie, 72, was Dr Page’s divorce solicitor 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 missing clumps of hair.
She also begged Ms Hosie for a ‘good post-mortem’ if she died suddenly.
Dr Page headed the genetics department at the University of Aberdeen and was one of few women in a leading role in the field of science at the time.
Dr Page wrote chilling letters in which she said: ‘If I do depart this earth rather suddenly… please make sure I get a good post-mortem’
However, in her spare time she worked a second job as an escort called Miss Brenda Adams, which led to theories after her frenzied murder that a client had killed her.
These theories were quickly dismissed by police, who reportedly thought Harrisson was to blame but didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute him.
He was questioned by 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 was found that finally secured a conviction for Dr Page’s killer ex-husband.
Dr Brenda Page was savagely beaten to death in her flat (pictured) in Aberdeen, where she lived with her three cats
In her spare time she worked a second job as an escort called Miss Brenda Adams, which led to theories after her frenzied murder that a client had killed her, but these theories were quickly dismissed by police. Pictured: The back of Dr Page’s flat
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 Metro car
The brutal murderer’s conviction finally came after new DNA evidence was discovered. Pictured: Christopher Harrisson’s car
It was suggested that Harrisson forced entry through Dr Page’s window with a chisel-tipped object and hid in her wardrobe, waiting for his ex-wife to come home in the early hours of the morning.
He likely attacked Dr Page as she sat or lay on her bed, it was reported.
A friend and colleague of Harrisson, Professor Ian Booth, told police he had taught the murderer how to take apart a window ‘bit by bit’ the winter before the killing.
Harrisson had claimed he was locked out, so Prof Booth showed him how to gain entry without breaking the glass.
Meanwhile, Flakes of paint found near her bedroom window, which had been forced open, were the same as those found on her ex-husband’s green mini Metro car.
He was questioned by Grampian Police but released without charge and left the country to start a new life in the Netherlands. Pictured: Harrisson at around the time of the murder
Additionally, Harrisson claimed in 2020 after his arrest that he never had sex with Dr Page in her flat, which left him at a loss why a sperm sample matching his DNA was found on her bedsheets.
Alex Prentice KC, prosecuting, suggested Harrisson was jealous that Dr Page was meeting other men and so killed her.
During the trial at Aberdeen High Court he said: ‘You had accused her of being a prostitute. You flew into an uncontrollable rage. You brutally murdered her.’
Harrisson will most likely die behind bars after being jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years.
In a letter from Harrisson to his Dr Page, he acknowledged ‘rages of which you are afraid’, and was branded ‘bullying and manipulative’.
Dr Page’s nephew Chris Ling said outside the court that her family was “delighted” to see justice finally done.
Dr Page headed the genetics department at the University of Aberdeen and was one of few women in a leading role in the field of science at the time
Dr Page’s nephew Chris Ling (pictured) said outside the court that her family was “delighted” to see justice finally done
Harrisson, from Aberdeen, told police his ex-wife was a ‘brilliant scientist’ and spent decades denying his crime but was snared by DNA examination and forensic techniques.
One sperm sample found in bedsheets in Dr Page’s flat was 590 million times more likely to have come from Harrisson rather than any other man, the court heard.
Paired with original statements, some still in manuscript from the 70s, and carefully recorded testimonies of witnesses who had since passed away, these breakthroughs became powerful circumstantial evidence.
In one letter, Dr Page asked her lawyer to ensure she receive a thorough post-mortem should she ever die suddenly.
Thousands of documents were re-examined in preparing the prosecution and many witnesses were in their 70s and 80s, giving evidence by live TV link.
Harrisson denied murder but was convicted at the High Court in Aberdeen.
National Procurator Fiscal for Homicide and Major Crime, David Green, said he hoped today’s sentence brought some degree of comfort to the family of Dr Page.
Mr Green said: ‘The relatives of Dr Brenda Page have waited a very long time for justice and our thoughts are with them as they come to terms with today’s outcome.
‘Christopher Harrisson took the life of their loved one and subjected them to further torment by maintaining his pretence of innocence for many years.
‘Our skilled prosecutors were able to ensure that a jury saw through his callous deception.
‘Evidence collected at the time painted a picture of a bullying and manipulative man but it has taken breakthroughs in science and forensics to allow us to prove the case beyond any doubt.
‘A man once recognised as a skilled scientist himself has been brought to justice through scientific expertise.’
By the time Harrisson stood trial, many witnesses were in their 70s and 80s, and several gave evidence by live television link.
David Green, Scotland’s public prosecution service murder investigations chief, said:
‘[We do] not view any unresolved homicide as “closed” and the public should be assured we will not stop seeking justice, no matter how long ago the offences took place.
‘I would urge anyone with any information on unresolved murders to report it to the police, confident that we will treat any report we receive with the utmost gravity.
‘Harrisson is an old man now but he is finally facing the consequences of his cruelty and violence.’
