Accused 'slept in mother's bed'

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A couple accused of murdering a woman spent the night in her bed hours after her death, a court has heard.

Lisa Brown, 21, and John Wilson, 25, deny murdering Anne Brown in October last year. Both have lodged special defences blaming each other.

Mr Wilson told the trial at the High Court in Glasgow that he could not sleep and sat up in Mrs Brown's bed while his partner slept.

He has admitted helping wrap her body and dump it in an Ayrshire burn.

Former security guard Mr Wilson was giving evidence for the second day.

He told the jury that he and Ms Brown returned to her mother's cottage in Burnhouse after disposing of her body.

His QC Ian Duguid asked him: "Did you sleep?"

Mr Wilson replied: "Lisa did, I sat up on top of her mum's bed. I couldn't sleep."

Mr Duguid then went on: "We've heard evidence that there were marks on the bath taps. There was blood and diluted blood on the taps. How did it get there?"

Police found Mrs Brown's body during searches in Ayrshire

Mr Wilson replied: "Lisa's jacket was covered in blood. We rinsed it and then left hanging on the front door to dry."

Mr Wilson added that the couple then left the house the next morning and Ms Brown took her grandfather's ashes with her.

Lisa Brown's QC, Frances McMenamin, then cross-examined Wilson and told him: "The big problem that you have and that all of us have is that you're a bare-faced liar."

Mr Wilson replied: "I was then, I'm not now."

Miss McMenamin continued: "You have lied and lied and lied to many, many people up until you took your place in the witness box."

The 25-year-old claimed that he had lied until he realised that his girlfriend was blaming him for the murder.

'Not true'

The defence advocate added: "I take it I don't have much chance of getting you to admit that it was you who murdered Anne Brown? "

Mr Wilson replied: "That's not true."

It is claimed Lisa Brown and John Wilson struck Anne Brown on the head and body with a blunt object or objects and that her daughter had previously "evinced malice and ill-will towards her".

Lisa Brown and Mr Wilson are then alleged to have attempted to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of her body in the burn.

They are also accused of washing a quantity of bloodstained clothing which they wore at the time of the alleged attack.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.