A killer brutally murdered her neighbour in a horrific hammer and knife attack days before Christmas.

Claire Kilduff bludgeoned and stabbed Ann Coll to death having also taken more than £300 from the grandmother’s bank account.

The 40-year-old later went on to lie in a 999 call that she had found the 61-year-old, who shared her home with her dog Lola, in a pool of blood having gone to visit her in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, in December 2023.

Kilduff now faces a life sentence after pleading guilty to murder at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.

Prosecutor Gavin Dewar said the women had been friends and neighbours and often walked their dogs together near their homes in the town’s Newfield Place.

The two had agreed to watch television at the victim’s place on the evening of December 21 but instead Kilduff turned on the mother-of-three.

Mr Dewar said the killer had been ‘financially embarrassed’ owing cash to un-named others but knew how to access Ms Coll’s banking app and arranged to transfer £320 to herself.

The murder took place sometime between 7.30pm and just before 1am the following day.

He said: ‘Kilduff repeatedly struck Ann Coll with a hammer causing extensive blunt force trauma injuries to the head and neck.

‘The blows caused extensive fractures to Ann Coll’s skull. Kilduff repeatedly stabbed her with a knife.’

Kilduff called 999 and sounding breathless and crying told the call handler: ‘I have came up and found my neighbour in a pool of blood and she is not breathing.’

Mercy crews arrived to find Ms Coll in her bedroom but were unable to save her.

Mr Dewar’s said she had suffered at least 21 blows to the head resulting in multiple fractures.

She also had seven stab wounds to the neck, back and side of the chest.

Mother-of-one Kilduff had been sitting in the common close when police turned up after the murder - but it took until February 2024 for her to be arrested.

Detectives had earlier launched an appeal for help in trying to solve the killing.

But during the probe they also examined Kilduff’s phone which contained a number of Google searches on the night of the attack including ‘deadliest stab wounds’, ‘stab wound to the neck’, ‘hammer to head injury’ and ‘killed by single blow to head’.

Officers were then told of an underfloor cavity area in Kilduff’s flat and found incriminating items almost a year after the murder.

The hammer and knife discovered had the killer’s DNA on them as well as traces of Ms Coll’s blood.

Kilduff had been due to stand trial this week before admitting her guilt.

She had previously lodged a special defence via her lawyers blaming another woman - a prosecution witness - for the killing.

Mr Dewar told the court Ms Coll was ‘a much-loved parent, grand-parent and friend’ who is ‘greatly missed’ particularly by her children.

A large number her loved ones were at court yesterday. Many were emotional during the hearing.

Gary Allan KC, defending, said Kilduff ‘cannot explain’ what she had done, but had ‘expressed sorrow’ for the killing.

Lord Arthurson adjourned the case for sentencing. Kilduff remains in custody meantime.