A woman with a long record of violent offending has been jailed for killing a ninety seven year old Dundee man after forcing her way into his home and demanding money. The High Court in Edinburgh ruled that Tandy Swinton, aged forty four, caused the fatal injuries that led to the death of William Lambie in May last year.
Swinton was convicted of culpable homicide after prosecutors showed that she pushed the frail pensioner to the floor during the confrontation in April. Mr Lambie, described as vulnerable and slight in build, never recovered from the injuries he suffered in the fall.
Judge Lord Harrower told the court that Swinton had been reckless about the harm she inflicted and noted that she had given no sign of remorse throughout the proceedings. The judge highlighted Mr Lambie’s fragile condition, including his weight of only five stones at the time of his death, which made the impact of the assault particularly severe.
After the attack, Mr Lambie was taken to Ninewells Hospital where he underwent surgery. His health slowly worsened despite rehabilitation efforts and he later moved to a nursing home. He passed away on twenty six May, five weeks after the assault.
During the trial, the court heard extensive evidence about Swinton’s history with the victim. In 2020 she threatened to stab and kill Mr Lambie and robbed him of one hundred pounds. She was jailed for three years for that offence.
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The court also heard that Swinton’s criminal record includes more than twenty convictions ranging from theft and shoplifting to assault and robbery. In 2022 she demanded that an eighty one year old man accompany her to a bank and withdraw three hundred pounds for her, an offence that resulted in another custodial sentence.
Friends and fellow worshippers paid tribute to Mr Lambie during the trial. Witnesses described him as a devout Christian with a love for Shakespeare and someone who inspired members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community in Dundee. They said he remained gentle and principled even as his health declined.
The court’s verdict and sentence bring an end to a case that shocked many in the city, particularly due to Swinton’s pattern of targeting older and vulnerable people. She will serve six years and nine months in prison and will be monitored in the community for three years following her release.
