- Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Murdering 16-Year-Old Sister
- Discovery of Amber Gibson’s Body in Hamilton Park
- Additional Offenders and Troubled Family Background Uncovered in the Case
A man who sexually assaulted and murdered his 16-year-old sister in a Hamilton park has been sentenced to at least 22 years in prison.
The body of Amber Gibson was discovered in Cadzow Glen on November 28, 2021, two days after she had been last seen.
Connor Gibson, 20 years old, strangled Amber, discarded his clothing, and contacted the children’s home where Amber was staying to claim she was still alive.
Lord Mulholland, the judge, described his crimes as genuinely evil.
Before he can petition for parole, Gibson must serve at least 22 years of his life sentence.
Another man was sentenced to nine years in prison for interfering with Amber’s body after being found guilty of the offense.
Stephen Corrigan, who was unknown to Amber and Connor Gibson, discovered her corpse, but instead of calling the police, he inappropriately touched her and hid her remains.
Amber’s body was located on November 28 entombed in bushes and branches in Cadzow Glen, a park near the town’s centre.
Her body was covered with soil, and her clothing was discovered nearby.
Two days after posting a tribute to his sister on Facebook, Gibson was apprehended for her murder the following day.
Gibson, who denied the allegations against him, was accused of removing Amber’s clothing and assaulting her during a 13-day trial in Glasgow’s High Court.
Prosecutors stated that the teen was “horribly” murdered by her sibling, whom she must have trusted.
Amber was a resident of the Hillhouse children’s home and Gibson was residing at the Blue Triangle homeless shelter in Hamilton at the time of the murder.
Amber and her brother met in Hamilton’s downtown on the evening of November 26. The court heard that she was delighted to see him and had posted a selfie with him.
They were captured on camera around 22:00 near Cadzow Glen. Approximately 90 minutes later, Connor Gibson was seen on camera again, this time by himself.
Before midnight, he returned to the homeless shelter where he was residing.
CCTV footage subsequently captured him carrying a plastic receptacle as he made his way towards the building’s exterior wheelie bins.
The police later discovered his blood-stained shorts and T-shirt in the wheelie bins, which were vacant when he returned.
Blood stains on Gibson’s outerwear were compatible with Amber, and his DNA was discovered on Amber’s shorts.
Since the ages of three and five, Craig Niven and his wife Carol had fostered the siblings.
Mr. Niven stated during the trial that they were “not a good mix” and could not be left alone together.
Court records also revealed that Peter Gibson, the biological father of Amber and Connor Gibson, sexually assaulted two juvenile boys and assaulted and raped a woman.
Between 2001 and 2008, he committed these offenses, and he was sentenced in April of this year.
In a distinct incident, Amber was raped by a man named Jamie Starrs several months before her murder. He was imprisoned for ten and a half years.
The month following Gibson’s conviction for homicide, the foster parents of the children issued a statement.
Mr. and Mrs. Niven described Amber as “the most generous, considerate, loving, and admirable individual.”
Despite her pain, she loved art and performing and had a “amazing outlook on life,” according to friends.
The couple also claimed that Amber and Connor had been “let down by the system” throughout their lives.
“We now have one daughter buried in Larkhall Cemetery and another child in prison,” they said. “Life will never again be the same.”
Tony Graham KC, representing Gibson, said his client had endured emotional abuse and neglect.
Mr. Graham stated, “I bring up these matters to explain how a brother could act in such a manner.”
Prof. Soumen Sengupta, South Lanarkshire Council’s health and social services head, called it “extremely tragic and distressing.
“All aspects of Amber’s care are the subject of an independent review, and we are committed to making the results of that review public as soon as we can do so,” he said.
