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Accused couple 'in it together' | Accused couple 'in it together' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The jury in the trial of a couple accused of killing the woman's mother and dumping her body in a burn has been told the pair were in it together. | The jury in the trial of a couple accused of killing the woman's mother and dumping her body in a burn has been told the pair were in it together. |
John Wilson, 25, and Lisa Brown, 21, both deny murdering Anne Brown at her home in Ayrshire last October and have blamed each other. | |
In his closing speech, advocate depute Gary Allan QC said the case against them was circumstantial. | In his closing speech, advocate depute Gary Allan QC said the case against them was circumstantial. |
But he said the evidence was sufficient in "quantity and quality" to convict. | But he said the evidence was sufficient in "quantity and quality" to convict. |
The prosecutor told the High Court in Glasgow that the case began as a missing persons inquiry and very quickly culminated in the discovery of Anne Brown's body wrapped up and dumped in the water of an Ayrshire burn. | |
He told the jury her body was in such a poor state it could not even be identified by her own brother. | |
He said it was the Crown's contention that the pair had "a common criminal plan." | |
"Put more plainly, they were in it together," he said. | |
John Wilson's evidence is clearly riddled with lies. Gary Allan QC Advocate depute | |
He reminded the jury of Lisa Brown and Anne Brown's "volatile" mother-daughter relationship, especially with regards to Lisa Brown's son. | |
He said both the accused had agreed to go to Anne Brown's house in the dark to achieve the removal of the child by any means possible, including "lethal violence". | |
The advocate depute described it as a "surprise assault". | |
He then questioned why the couple had never reported former nurse Anne Brown missing. | |
The prosecutor told the court this was because they knew exactly what had happened, and because they had orchestrated it. | |
'Overwhelming evidence' | |
One of the accused, John Wilson, had earlier told the trial that it was Lisa Brown who killed her mother and he had helped dispose of the body. | |
Mr Allan QC told the jury that they must consider Mr Wilson's evidence as they would all other witnesses but he added: "John Wilson's evidence is clearly riddled with lies. He has told you that himself." | |
He went on: "John Wilson only speaks out now when he is faced with an overwhelming body of evidence. Only now when staring into the abyss of a conviction for murder does he say he is telling the truth." | |
Police found Mrs Brown's body during searches in Ayrshire | |
Anne Brown's body was found in Clerkland Burn in North Ayrshire last October. | Anne Brown's body was found in Clerkland Burn in North Ayrshire last October. |
It is claimed Lisa Brown and Mr 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". | It is claimed Lisa Brown and Mr 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. | 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. | They are also accused of washing a quantity of bloodstained clothing which they wore at the time of the alleged attack. |
The closing speeches in trial, before Judge Lord Matthews, are continuing. |