A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for murdering his partner in a "sustained and savage" attack at her home in the Scottish Borders. Corey Dryden repeatedly struck 31-year-old Megan Hughes on the head and body with a knife and claw hammer at her home in Chirnside in the early hours of February 9 this year.
The mother-of-two was stabbed 27 times in total during the horrific assault. At about 2.15am, the couple's next-door neighbour was woken by the sound of a disturbance and heard Ms Hughes repeatedly shouting for help whilst Dryden told her to "shut up".
Dryden's false self-defence claim
Dryden dialled 999 at about 4.35am, but when paramedics arrived Ms Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene. The 32-year-old initially claimed Ms Hughes had attacked him and that he had acted in self-defence, but on June 27 he admitted murdering his partner.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday. Sentencing Dryden, judge Lord Harrower said: "In the early hours of Sunday February 9 you carried out a sustained and savage attack using a large kitchen knife and a claw hammer."
Victim remained conscious during attack
The judge said Ms Hughes had sustained stab wounds to the front and back of her chest, face, neck and left arm, and "blunt force trauma" to the front and back of her head. He added: "Ms Hughes also sustained defence-type injuries to her left thumb and left wrist, indicating that she remained conscious and aware of what was happening during at least part of the attack."
The judge told Dryden his actions had caused "terrible devastation" to Ms Hughes's entire family. "Such was the nature of the injuries you inflicted, they were deprived of the opportunity to look at her face one last time," the judge told him, adding: "No sentence of this court can alleviate their anguish."
Previous incident showed warning signs
The judge also recounted an incident in a pub on September 22 2024, just five months before the fatal attack, which saw police called. "When they arrived they witnessed you shouting and swearing at Ms Hughes, calling her derogatory names," he said.
He went on: "Ms Hughes had expressed a fear that you would kill her if she returned home that night. Ultimately those fears were realised."
Life sentence with minimum term
Lord Harrower sentenced Dryden to life with a minimum term of 18 years in prison, saying "the only sentence for the crime of murder is life imprisonment". Dryden, who attended the hearing by videolink from prison dressed in a red jumper, showed no emotion as he was sentenced.
Earlier, Dryden's advocate Lili Prais KC told the court he accepts "full responsibility for the monstrous crime", and is "deeply remorseful". She read out a written statement from Dryden in which he said: "No sentence I get will justify or bring closure to her family. The despicable, monstrous crime I have committed, I have turned everyone's life upside down. I will never be able to forgive myself, or accept the pain I have caused."
Prosecutors highlight domestic abuse message
She added Dryden has little memory of what happened on the night of the attack, saying he had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol and that it had been a "blur". Commenting after the sentencing, Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "Corey Dryden is a violent and dangerous man who murdered Megan Hughes in her home, where she had the right to be safe."
She added: "After subjecting her to a horrific assault, he left his partner on the floor to die instead of calling for help. His cruel and callous actions have robbed Megan of her future and left her family and loved ones to deal with this unimaginable loss. Our thoughts remain with them. Dryden has now been held accountable following this prosecution, which should send a clear message to perpetrators of domestic abuse."
Police Scotland Detective Chief Inspector Laura White said: "This was a vicious and calculated attack by Dryden that tragically resulted in Megan's death. His actions have robbed a family of their mum, daughter, granddaughter, sister and niece. Our thoughts very much remain with Megan's family and friends as they come to terms with what happened to her."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
