A GRIEVING West Fife woman has made fresh calls for a law change after finally being allowed access to her murdered mum’s home – nearly four years since she killed.

Carol Taggart was killed by her son, Ross, in December 2014 and since then, her daughter, Lorraine Taggart Bristow, has been involved in a lengthy battle to have her jailed brother removed from being the executor of his mum’s estate.

Until this week, he had repeatedly blocked attempts made by Lorraine to gain access to the house and recover keepsakes.

She was eventually allowed into the house for one hour this week in what she described as a “compromise” from Taggart on the condition that she had to go alone – with two lawyers escorting her – and was only allowed into her mum’s bedroom.

Lorraine has described the horror, and her heartbreak, of what she saw.

“I was under no illusion that the house would be a mess with everything everywhere, it was, after all, a crime scene of a murder investigation and the police had a job to do,” she said.

“But for the other part, it’s disgusting, my mum’s pristine house is no longer her house, it’s a house for mice with most of her items chewed and mice poo everywhere.

“All I had wanted to do was sit on her bed and think of nice times, I could not even do that as it is all chewed and has mouse poo all over it. 

“The law is meant to be on the side of the victims and not to allow a murderer to keep this going and making the Scottish justice system look a joke. 

“The executor is supposed to ensure that a property is maintained. There are food items on her bed from Christmas 2014 – these have all been chewed and are now mouldy.

“There are two Pepsi Max bottles next to her bed, dead plants everywhere, her toilet is black, (the house) smells like mouse pee with their poo everywhere, they have even started on the evidence bags. I was looking through bags with mice running out of them. 

“How is this looking after the estate? 

“I also had to look at where the carpet was cut for evidence where he battered her and knocked her unconscious before he moved her to kill her.”

Lorraine now plans to write to MPs and MSPs in her concerted effort to get the law changed and, after their petition received more than 13,000 signatures, she is also due to have a meeting with the Scottish Government.

“I can’t go on with sentimental items being eaten and the house rotting from inside out. This is not right,” she added. “I would like to thank everyone as the petition has been noticed and we have a meeting with the Scottish Government this month.”

The Press contacted Ross Taggart’s solicitors, Morgans, for a response, however, they were unable to comment on the case.

A Scottish Government spokesman said they were committed to reforming and modernising the law of succession in Scotland, to ensure a “clear and fair legal framework” for the law of inheritance, relevant to modern Scottish society and the rights of individuals and families. 

The spokesperson added: “As part of this work we will consider whether there is a need to amend the law to address the issue of convicted murders acting as executors for their victims.”

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/scottish-government-remove-prevent-convicted-murderers-from-being-executors-of-the-person-they-murdered-estate.