THE son of an elderly woman found battered to death is going to the Court of Session in an attempt to get her killer to pay out £160,000 in damages for charities she supported.

Jenny Methven, 80, was beaten to death by William Kean at her cottage in Forteviot, Perthshire, and the former car valet was jailed for life for the murder last year.

Now Mrs Methven's son, David, who discovered her body, has lodged a groundbreaking bid to sue Kean in order to honour his mother's memory.

Mr Methven, from Perthshire, said he found it difficult to cope with the death of his last surviving relative and wanted to take direct action against her killer.

Solicitor Garry Sutherland, speaking on his behalf, said: "Mr Methven is a very private man and he finds it difficult to say publicly what effect this whole terrible tragedy has had on him personally.

"He has always been a practical man and, as such, he felt that up until now he has not been able to do anything tangible for his mother to honour her memory.

"His belief and aim is that by raising these proceedings he will be doing something on his mother's behalf through his own work and commitment.

"Ultimately, his hope is that it might result in a recovery of at least some money that can then be donated as a legacy to the charities that his mother had involvement with."

He said Mrs Methven supported several charities, to which her son wants to donate any compensation obtained from Kean, who is serving a minimum of 22 years after being found guilty of the killing at Kildinny Cottage on February 20 last year after a High Court murder trial.

Mr Sutherland added: "Making the donation himself would not have the same element of justice as he feels it would if the man who took her life was effectively forced to pay it."

The action, raised under new Scottish legislation, was served on Mr Kean in his cell at Perth Prison within the last seven days.

Kean recently abandoned an appeal against his murder conviction.

Mr Methven, 59, who was falsely accused by his former friend Kean of his mother's murder, is funding the private action against the killer at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

A source close to Mr Methven said: "David was very close to his mother and he felt he should do something positive in Jenny's memory.

"He thought very carefully about the options and decided to look into pursuing a damages claim against Kean. It's new legislation, so it's very much a new kind of claim.

"It's certainly not about the money. David has made it very clear that any figure he is awarded will be distributed to charities his mother supported."

Mr Methven's legal claim, which has been lodged at the court, states: "Mrs Methven was the pursuer's only living relative. The pursuer and Mrs Methven had a very close relationship. The pursuer was unable to continue to reside at the family home."

At the murder trial, Kean accepted he had been in the cottage and saw Mrs Methven with serious head injuries, but claimed he had simply left her behind and failed to call anyone for help.

The court was told he went about his business as usual, giving a relative a driving lesson before returning to the Perthshire home he shared with his wife Mary and son Daniel.

However, the jury did not believe his version of events and he was found guilty of murder by raining blows on the pensioner with an unidentified blunt object.

Outside court, Mr Methven said: "No verdict will bring my mother back or spare her the terrible ordeal that took her life."