A MURDERER who is being sued for £160,000 by his victim's son has gone to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission to appeal against his conviction, a court has heard.

William Kean killed 80-year-old Janet Methven, who was known as Jenny, at the home she shared with her son David in Forteviot, Perthshire, on February 20 last year. Kean was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 22 years for the murder.

David Methven has launched a claim for damages from Kean for the grief and sorrow caused by his mother's death, distress and anxiety he endured in contemplation of her suffering before death and the loss of her society.

In his defences to the civil action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Kean maintains he did not murder or injure Mrs Methven. He has gone to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC).

Mr Methven said he had known Kean for about 20 years and had employed him as a consultant. In the months leading up to the murder he had worked at the home shared by the mother and son and was trusted by both of them, it is said.

Michael Stuart, counsel for Mr Methven, asked the judge to vary the timetable for the lodging of witness lists and productions, which Lord Glennie agreed to do.

The judge said that once it was known what the SCCRC was going to do it might lead to further applications concerning the civil action, Lord Glennie, who jailed Kean following his murder trial, said that if the action went to a full hearing it would be inappropriate for him to deal with it.