A RETIRED county journalist who covered the World’s End murders has recalled how they sent shockwaves through East Lothian and sparked suspicion and fear in communities.

Ian Metcalfe was a reporter with the Daily Record when the bodies of teenagers Helen Scott and Christine Eadie were discovered at two separate locations in the county in October 1977.

Last week at the High Court in Edinburgh, Angus Sinclair was convicted of killing the 17-year-olds, after meeting them in the World’s End pub in the Scottish Capital.

Former Courier deputy editor Ian, who has lived in Haddington all his life, still remembers the day when the body of Christine Eadie was discovered at Gosford Bay by a local woman, sparking one of the most horrific murder cases East Lothian has ever seen.

He told the Courier: “I remember it was very foggy and a real shock for everyone. Soon after the first body was found, they discovered Helen Scott’s body six miles away in a field [at Coates Farm, east of Longniddry].

“It was such a terrible crime and sent shockwaves through the county, there was a great deal of fear and concern for everyone at the time.” Initial reports pointed to a local man being involved and Ian, now 71, remembered suspicion falling on the stable boys and jockeys working at the Musselburgh Racecourse at the time.

He said: “The one thing which baffled police was the remote location where Helen’s body was dumped. It was a little-known local road leading to it, and suggested someone with local knowledge, especially given the foggy conditions.

“When the description of the suspect said they were looking for a small man, attention turned to the racecourse and lots of stable lads were questioned and jockeys looked at. It was very unsettling.” During the course of the investigation and in the years afterwards, Ian built up a close relationship with Helen’s father Morain Scott who, now aged 84, finally saw the “beast” who murdered his daughter brought to justice.

Ian said: “I was waiting at Morain’s home when he returned from seeing his daughter’s body in the morgue all those years ago and still remember going into the house and hearing his wife wailing in another room.

“The families never got over what happened, how could anyone? Every week the Scotts visited Helen’s grave and when her mother died, Morain continued to go weekly.

“It is a pain they will never recover from. His conviction will have been welcome, but my feeling is it should have happened the first time round.” Sinclair, who it has been revealed was first jailed for strangling a seven-year-old girl when he was just 16, in 1961, has been exposed as a serial sex offender and killer.

Jailed in 1982 for a string of sex offences against young girls, he was tried and convicted of the murder and rape of 17-year-old Mary Gallacher, from Glasgow, who was found dead in 1978, while behind bars.

In 2006 a review of the murders of Helen and Christine, both from Edinburgh, was reopened by the Crown and Sinclair was charged with killing them.

But the original trial collapsed after a key piece of evidence was withdrawn at the last minute in a move which drew heavy criticism. A change to Scots Law allowed the case against Sinclair to be brought back to court and he was finally convicted of the murders last week.

Speaking following the verdict, Morain said: “I wouldn’t call him an animal, because animals kill for food. He’s just a beast if anything else and I’m quite sure in my own mind there could be other crimes against him.”