Defences lodged by Moira accused

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The man accused of the rape and murder of businesswoman Moira Jones has lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.

The body of Ms Jones, 40, was found in Queens Park in Glasgow's southside in May 2008.

Slovakian Marek Harcar, 33, denies all charges and lodged the defences at a second preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

The trial, which is expected to last up to five weeks, has been set for March.

Mr Harcar is alleged to have abducted Ms Jones and forced her to enter the park on 28 or 29 May, before he repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her head and body.

He is alleged to have forcibly removed her clothes, compressed her neck, pinned her to the ground and raped her, before murdering her and stealing some of her belongings.

His counsel, Tony Lenehan, lodged special defences and a list of witnesses but no details were revealed in court.

The trial, which has been set for March, will be heard before Lord Bracadale Mr Lenehan said examination of DNA and CCTV evidence was continuing and that defence inquiries would also be carried out in Slovakia next week.

He told the court: "Arrangements are in the process of being made.

"With the assistance of the Crown, the Slovakian end are forewarned. All is in place barring anything unforeseen."

Interpreters are expected to be required for Slovakian, Czech, Polish and French witnesses.

Lord advocate Elish Angiolini QC, prosecuting, said the Crown were ready for trial and that if certain aspects of the evidence were agreed, it would reduce a "significant" amount of witnesses needed.

Ms Angiolini added that a female witness would give evidence from a police station in the Slovakian town of Kosice.

She told the court: "The arrangement will be for a live link to the court from the police station.

"Similar arrangements were made for a Polish court and worked well."

Further hearing

The lord advocate also said prosecuting staff and Mr Harcar's legal team had made a visit to Queen's Park, where Ms Jones died.

Judge Lord Bracadale adjourned the case until a further preliminary hearing next month.

The accused is also charged with committing a breach of the peace by threatening to kill Lucie Pechtlova at a room in the city's Queen's Drive on 29 May.

He is then accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by fleeing to the Czech Republic and Slovakia between 1-18 June.

Ms Jones, of the city's Queen's Drive, was a sales consultant with Britvic and had moved to Glasgow from England five years ago.

Members of her family were in court for the preliminary hearing.