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| Vicky accused 'threatened worker' | Vicky accused 'threatened worker' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The man accused of murdering schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton threatened an electrician who went to carry out work at his Bathgate home, a court heard. | |
| Former electrician David Doig said he and Peter Tobin had a "heated" discussion in 1991 when he arrived at 11 Robertson Avenue in February 1991. | |
| The witness told the High Court in Dundee that Mr Tobin was "very nervous" and "argumentative" during the visit. | The witness told the High Court in Dundee that Mr Tobin was "very nervous" and "argumentative" during the visit. |
| Mr Tobin denies the abduction and murder of 15-year-old Vicky. | Mr Tobin denies the abduction and murder of 15-year-old Vicky. |
| Mr Doig said he did not go back to the house the day after the alleged argument, and told the jury: "During our discussion, I was threatened." | |
| The court heard Mr Doig and a colleague were tasked with doing some rewiring at the house. | |
| The work was part of a contract which involved several properties owned by Scottish Homes. | |
| All the work included in the contract began on 8 February 1991 and ended on 1 March that year, the court heard. | All the work included in the contract began on 8 February 1991 and ended on 1 March that year, the court heard. |
| He accused me of swearing at him and we had what was probably a heated discussion about the fact that the cupboard wasn't ready David Doig Mr Tobin is accused of abducting Vicky Hamilton on 10 February 1991 and taking her to the property. | |
| Mr Doig, 42, said he was let into the Robertson Avenue address by Mr Tobin, whose young son was also in the house. | |
| Solicitor General Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, asked: "Can you tell me whether the house was ready for you to complete the work?" | Solicitor General Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, asked: "Can you tell me whether the house was ready for you to complete the work?" |
| Mr Doig replied: "No, we had a problem. A cupboard we needed access to wasn't cleared out." | Mr Doig replied: "No, we had a problem. A cupboard we needed access to wasn't cleared out." |
| He said he asked Mr Tobin why the cupboard was still full and told the jury: "He initially said that we weren't getting in there." | He said he asked Mr Tobin why the cupboard was still full and told the jury: "He initially said that we weren't getting in there." |
| He said a discussion ensued. | He said a discussion ensued. |
| "Was it a friendly discussion?" asked Mr Mulholland. | "Was it a friendly discussion?" asked Mr Mulholland. |
| "No," said Mr Doig. | "No," said Mr Doig. |
| He added: "The discussion became quite heated, really. | He added: "The discussion became quite heated, really. |
| "He accused me of swearing at him and we had what was probably a heated discussion about the fact that the cupboard wasn't ready." | "He accused me of swearing at him and we had what was probably a heated discussion about the fact that the cupboard wasn't ready." |
| Asked about Mr Tobin's demeanour, he replied: "He was very nervous, edgy, agitated and argumentative." | Asked about Mr Tobin's demeanour, he replied: "He was very nervous, edgy, agitated and argumentative." |
| Mr Doig told the jury of 12 women and three men he cleared the cupboard out himself, but did not return to the house the following day. | Mr Doig told the jury of 12 women and three men he cleared the cupboard out himself, but did not return to the house the following day. |
| "During our discussion I was threatened," he said. | "During our discussion I was threatened," he said. |
| 'Deliberately awkward' | |
| Mr Doig said he could not say on what day he went to the property, but it would have been between a Monday and a Thursday. | |
| During cross examination by defence QC Donald Findlay, Mr Doig admitted that he had used an expletive when he went into the cupboard. | |
| He agreed that it was inappropriate language to use. | |
| "Mr Tobin was well entitled to be annoyed at you using such language in his house, wasn't he?" | |
| "Yes," the witness replied. | |
| Mr Findlay added that the word was something "the majority of decent thinking people find particularly offensive". | |
| Mr Doig later told the court during re-examination that he had not directed the phrase at Tobin. | |
| "I was angry because I felt Mr Tobin was being deliberately awkward," he told the trial. | |
| The witness earlier agreed with Mr Findlay that some people do not like having strangers "traipsing" around their house. | |
| Mr Doig also agreed that there were times that day when he and his colleague were in the house on their own. | |
| Mr Doig was at the property to carry out electrical workMr Findlay put it to the witness: "The fact of the matter is that when a householder is not there and there are strangers in his house, the strangers have free reign over that property to go where they will and do what they please." Mr Doig agreed. | |
| Mr Mulholland, during re-examination, put it to the witness: "Did you snoop around?" | |
| "No," he replied. | |
| "Did you go into the loft?" Mr Mulholland later asked. | |
| "No," he replied. | |
| Earlier in the trial, jurors heard that police searched the house in June last year. A knife had been photographed in a narrow gap between a joist and a wall in the loft. | |
| Mr Tobin is accused of abducting Vicky and taking her to Robertson Avenue in Bathgate, West Lothian, on 10 February 1991, which the Crown alleges was then occupied by him. | Mr Tobin is accused of abducting Vicky and taking her to Robertson Avenue in Bathgate, West Lothian, on 10 February 1991, which the Crown alleges was then occupied by him. |
| The charge also alleges that there or elsewhere he drugged her, struggled with her, compressed her neck, indecently assaulted her and murdered her. | The charge also alleges that there or elsewhere he drugged her, struggled with her, compressed her neck, indecently assaulted her and murdered her. |
| He is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. | He is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. |
| It is alleged that he concealed Vicky's body and removed and disposed of a number of items of her clothing and footwear. | It is alleged that he concealed Vicky's body and removed and disposed of a number of items of her clothing and footwear. |
| He is also accused of cutting her body in two and wrapping it in coverings and bin bags. | He is also accused of cutting her body in two and wrapping it in coverings and bin bags. |
| Then, allegedly aware police were conducting a missing persons inquiry, Mr Tobin is said to have put Vicky's purse under a portable cabin to mislead police into believing she had run away from home. | Then, allegedly aware police were conducting a missing persons inquiry, Mr Tobin is said to have put Vicky's purse under a portable cabin to mislead police into believing she had run away from home. |
| Mr Tobin denies all the charges against him and has lodged a special defence of alibi, saying that between 1700 GMT and midnight on 10 February 1991, he was in the Portsmouth area and was thereafter travelling to Scotland, arriving in Edinburgh at 0630 GMT the following day. | Mr Tobin denies all the charges against him and has lodged a special defence of alibi, saying that between 1700 GMT and midnight on 10 February 1991, he was in the Portsmouth area and was thereafter travelling to Scotland, arriving in Edinburgh at 0630 GMT the following day. |
| The trial, before Lord Emslie, continues. | The trial, before Lord Emslie, continues. |