The family of a New Zealand woman whose British husband tried to murder her more than 12 years ago are immensely relieved he has been jailed in Britain.
A Scottish jury today took less than four hours to find Malcolm Webster, 52, guilty of trying to murder Auckland nurse Felicity Drumm, his second wife, and of murdering his first wife Claire Morris in Scotland.
He murdered Ms Morris in 1994 for a life insurance payout by staging a car crash in Aberdeenshire. She was still alive but unconscious when he set the crashed car alight.
Webster then drugged Ms Drumm in Auckland and in Britain several times between July 1996 and February 1999.
Ms Drumm's sister Jane Drumm said today the family was "really delighted" with the verdict.
"It closes a book. This has been 12 years," she told NewstalkZB.
The family went to the trial, where six family members gave evidence against Webster.
"We all felt that we did our best and it is great. We feel validated now. Justice has been given to my sister and to Claire and her family, and to my parents," she said.
Her parents could have died in a fire Webster lit at their Takapuna home on Auckland's North Shore, she said.
During the trial, one of the longest in Scotland's criminal history, a string of women seduced by Webster gave evidence.
"He can't hurt any other women," Ms Drumm said today.
"It was really devastating. There were a number of times where we could easily have lost my sister.
"There were a number of attempts on her life and to me it was just amazing good fortune we have still got her and it is amazing good fortune we have still got my parents.
"It took a lot out of my parents and my sister. She was left completely cleaned out financially with a little child. She has got on and remade her life."
She said the trial in Scotland was an ordeal.
"Trying to remember back 12 years ago was hard for all of us and there was a lot of pressure to do the right thing and perform well during the trial."
Now justice had been done.
"It is such a big relief," she said.
Webster, who had said his first wife's death was a tragic accident, showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were announced.
Felicity Drumm, who has a 13-year-old son by Webster, travelled from New Zealand to give evidence at the Glasgow trial.
The pair met in Saudi Arabia and moved to Takapuna, marrying in 1997.
Shortly after their wedding, Ms Drumm told doctors she was having blackouts. After a 1999 car crash she was found to have a strong sedative in her system.
Webster left New Zealand shortly after that crash, becoming the subject of four warrants for his failure to appear in North Shore District Court in July 2000.
Two were for arson, one was for selling, giving, supplying or administering a drug and the other was for disabling or stupefying his wife.
Ms Drumm said she twice had double vision and trouble walking after consuming food or drink Webster gave her on honeymoon. On one occasion she slept for 36 hours.
His response was "glib" when she mentioned her concerns about what had happened to her.
