CONVICTED murderer Christopher Randall this week was branded as having a macabre interest in the occult which ruined the life of his ex-girlfriend.

Just days after a jury convicted Randall (pictured), the father of girlfriend Louise Scott revealed she had told of his interest in black magic shortly before the brutal killing of Daniel Doherty.

Robert Scott, 42, of Westbury, spoke of the torment and fear his daughter was put through in her five-month relationship with Randall, 19, which ended after he assaulted her for the second time, two weeks before the Warminster murder.

Miss Scott, 21, who gave birth to Randall's daughter eight weeks ago, has gone into hiding after Randall was jailed for life, for fear of reprisals.

Mr Scott explained how Randall threatened him and his family after attacking Miss Scott in February, and believes the killing of Mr Doherty, which was described in court to be in the style of Jack the Ripper, was typical of his nature.

He said: "Louise told me he liked Ouija boards, black magic and the occult. He read up on it all and used to go to the library. He also liked serial killers.

"She was older than him but he had this hypnotic hold. I think he wanted to be a big thing in the area and if he had been let off he would have killed again."

Mr Scott first met Randall last October when Louise took him to the family restaurant, Scott's in High Street, Warminster.

However just a few weeks after Randall moved in to Miss Scott's flat in Woodcock Road, her father started noticing a change in her. He said: "Louise was always a smartly-dressed young lady and gradually her smart clothes and make up went."

Mr Scott also revealed how Randall had hang-ups about being adopted, claiming that if he found his real mother he would 'kill her'. He said: "He just constantly thought people were staring at him and he would just get up and go for them.

"He was stalking the restaurant at the time of the murder. He was a very clever and dangerous man. He had said to someone that he wanted to burn the restaurant down and kill us so I had him arrested."