Father who murdered his two children in revenge attack refused parole after serving minimum 17-year term
A father who murdered two of his own children in their bedrooms after his marriage collapsed was refused parole in 2025, 17 years after the horrific double killing in Buckhaven, Fife.
Robert “Rab” Thomson was jailed for life after admitting murdering his 25-year-old daughter Michelle Thomson and seven-year-old son Ryan Thomson on May 3, 2008. He stabbed the siblings a total of 26 times in separate attacks inside the former family home.
The murders came after Thomson’s wife, June, had left him following the breakdown of their 27-year marriage and divorce proceedings had begun.
On the day of the killings, Thomson sent his older son Ross out on an errand. When Ross returned, he was told that Ryan and Michelle had already left the house.
In reality, both had been killed in their bedrooms. Ross went to his own room and watched DVDs, unaware of what had happened elsewhere in the property.
June later arrived at the house and made the devastating discovery.
Michelle, who had severe learning difficulties, had suffered 12 stab wounds, while her seven-year-old brother Ryan had been stabbed 14 times.
Thomson had also seriously injured himself in an apparent attempt to take his own life. He survived and was subsequently prosecuted.
Appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh in September 2008, the then 50-year-old admitted two charges of murder.
Judge Lord Menzies described what Thomson had done as “indescribably awful.”
When he was sentenced the following month, Thomson received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years before he could be considered for release. The judge stressed the particular vulnerability of both children and the fact that they should have been able to rely upon their father for protection.
The case did not end with his sentence.
Years later, June publicly described a long history of domestic abuse during their marriage and said Thomson had used the murders of their children as an act of revenge against her for leaving him.
After reaching the point at which he could be considered for release, Thomson was put before the parole process in 2025.
His former wife spoke publicly about her terror at the possibility of him being freed, saying the murders and the years of abuse she had suffered continued to affect her life.
Thomson’s bid for parole was ultimately refused, meaning he remained behind bars.
The refusal came 17 years after Michelle and Ryan were murdered by the person who should have protected them.
The original Buckhaven property where the children were killed was later demolished following calls from the local community to have it removed.