Man stabbed young mum 45 times in 'vicious and frenzied' attack in her own home in West Calder

A man killed a young mum after stabbing her at least 45 times during a “vicious and frenzied attack” in her own home.

Michael Porchetta attacked Aimee Cannon, 26, at her home in West Calder on May 7, 2022.

The 28-year-old had been accused of murder but was said to be suffering from a cognitive impairment, which led to him being deemed unfit to stand trial.

An examination of facts hearing took place instead, looking at the circumstances of the incident and Porchetta’s mental state at the time.

Lord Mulholland concluded at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday that Porchetta had “beyond reasonable doubt” carried out the attack.

He was also charged with stealing Aimee’s phone, keys and underwear, as well as disposing of the blade and washing her blood from his trainers.

Porchetta’s uncle, Robert Nicoll, told the court that his nephew had returned home around 7am on May 7 before changing his clothes and going out to work.

He returned around 5pm and had his dinner before a woman also arrived and they went to his room.

The next afternoon, an “upset” Porchetta went out to speak to his uncle while he was gardening.

Mr Nicoll said: “He said to me: ‘The lassie has been murdered up the street. My pals told me’.

“Michael said he had been up at her house on the Friday night.

“He always went there. He said he had been taking drugs. He then said his pals had called and told him Aimee had been stabbed.”

Porchetta’s sister Gabriella also gave evidence, and she recalled how she smelled what she thought was blood on his jeans when she went to get them for the wash.

The deputy charge nurse said: “I asked him where it had come from. He said he had cut his thumb after catching it on a barbed wire fence.

“He also said he had been to Aimee’s on Friday night, but left around midnight.

“He denied doing anything to Aimee.”

Porchetta claimed he had left her “safe and well”.

But his sister called the police and told her brother that he had to speak to them.

She also told how the family had been concerned about his cocaine abuse.

The witness stated: “Michael said he had to stop it as it was ‘f***ing him up in the head’.”

Porchetta was said to have regularly asked his uncle for cash while taking cocaine.

Witnesses spoke of Porchetta “trying it on” with Aimee – but she rebuffed him, insisting he was “just my wee pal”.

One friend said Aimee had contacted him months before the killing to get Porchetta to leave her house.

She was described as “anxious, alarmed and upset”.

Lord Mulholland stated: “This was a vicious, frenzied attack on a defenceless woman in her own home.

“It was carried out by someone regarded as a friend.”

Porchetta is currently being detained at the State Hospital at Carstairs as part of an interim compulsion order.

He will remain there as Lord Mulholland adjourned the case until the New Year for further psychiatric reports to be completed.

A post-mortem concluded that beautician Aimee had died of multiple sharp force injuries. She had “at least” 45 stab wounds and multiple clean-cut wounds on her scalp as well as both hands.

In his judgement, Lord Mulholland said Porchetta had “tried to cover his tracks” after killing, but that evidence – including DNA – had “told its own story”.