Details of Margaret Fleming's last days have been described by police after her carers were found guilty of her murder.

Avril Jones, 58 and Edward Cairney, 77 were today convicted of killing the 19-year-old, who was last seen almost two decades ago.

Police Scotland say Margaret's last days were spent in 'a living hell'.

She had gone to live with the pair after the death of her father, but they were said to have exploited her benefits, which later prompted suspicions from social services and police.

The Herald: Avril Joines (left) and Edward Cairney were found guilty of murder. Picture: Police ScotlandAvril Joines (left) and Edward Cairney were found guilty of murder. Picture: Police Scotland

Speaking after the conviction, detective superintendent Paul Livingstone described the conditions she was kept in as 'utterly disgusting and uninhabitable'.

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He said she was subjected to daily punishment, which included being tied up, having her hair cut short and deprived of food.

The senior investigating officer said: "Margaret was a very vulnerable young woman who was manipulated, abused, neglected and ultimately murdered by the two people who should have been looking after her.

"It is clear that one of Cairney and Jones' motivation was money.

"As part of their scheming ways they also managed to manipulate Margaret's mother, Margaret Cruikshanks before Cairney assaulted her.

"For many years, Cairney and Jones kept up the pretence that Margaret was still alive, going as far as to write letters claiming to be from her.

"Margaret was described as being a funny, caring young woman who, despite having some mild learning difficulties, just wanted to be liked and to have friends.

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"She was subjected to daily punishment which included being tied up, having her hair cut short and deprived of food.

"The treatment which she was subjected to can only be described as horrific and the conditions in which she lived in were utterly disgusting and uninhabitable. For Cairney and Jones to continue the charade that she was still alive for all these years is abhorrent, with one of their reasons for doing so being for financial gain."

He said police will never know how the 19-year-old was killed, but they say she must have felt that 'she was alone in the world with no-one coming to help her' in her final days.

He added: "Margaret was just a young woman when she was murdered. Who knows what she could have gone on to achieve in her life if it hadn’t been ended so prematurely at the evil and greedy hands of Cairney and Jones."