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Lynda Spence trial: Body 'dumped in Glasgow hills' | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Lynda Spence murder trial has heard that one of the accused admitted to disposing of a woman's body. | |
Pamela Pearson, 40, said 42-year-old Philip Wade came to see her at her home and told her he was having nightmares and not sleeping well. | |
She told the High Court in Glasgow that during the conversation he said he and a man called Colin had disposed of a woman's body "in the Glasgow hills". | |
Mr Wade, Colin Coats, David Parker and Paul Smith deny murdering Ms Spence. | |
The four men are charged with killing the 27-year-old financial advisor at a flat in West Kilbride in April 2011. | |
'Shocked and disgusted' | |
During evidence, Ms Pearson told jurors of the alleged conversation she had with Mr Wade. | |
"At first we just spoke about normal things: Nicola (Mr Wade's wife), the kids. Then he was appearing more agitated," she said. | |
"He just said he hadn't been sleeping well. I asked him why. He told me he hadn't been sleeping very well because him and Colin had disposed of a woman's body. | |
"I was shocked. Disgusted. I told him how shocked I was, my disgust was obvious. He appeared more agitated, much more agitated. I have never seen Phil like that. | |
"I started to feel quite threatened which had never happened before either." | |
Solicitor General Lesley Thomson, prosecuting, referred the witness to a statement she gave to police on 27 October 2011, which she agreed was a truthful, accurate account of the conversation, some of which Ms Pearson said she could not remember in court. | |
Parts of it were read out to the jury. | |
"I asked him why (he had been having nightmares) and he said, 'I've helped dispose of that woman's body'. I asked him what he meant by that. (He said) 'I was forced to dispose of her. Colin did it. Me and Colin disposed of her'. | |
"I was a bit shocked at this and I sort of thought it was strange he said he was forced because no one forces Philip to do anything." | |
'A mistake' | |
The statement went on: "I asked if it was the woman whose phone was found in Kilbirnie and he said it was. I asked how her phone ended up in Kilbirnie, and he said it was a mistake." | |
The court has heard that a mobile phone used by Ms Spence was found in a bin outside the Lunchbox cafe in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, on 2 June 2011. | |
The statement said: "(Mr Wade) said 'me and Colin disposed of her in the Glasgow hills'." | |
Ms Pearson said: "I do remember that." | |
The alleged conversation took place "about a year and a half ago", Ms Pearson told the court. | |
Earlier, the court heard from Mark Asbury, 47, who said he and Mr Wade had been friends for about 22 or 23 years. | |
He claimed that during a meeting with Mr Wade, the accused told him that "some scouser" was sent to "do in" him and a man called Colin. | |
He said they intercepted the man in the stairwell up to his flat and killed him before cutting up and bagging the body. | He said they intercepted the man in the stairwell up to his flat and killed him before cutting up and bagging the body. |
The witness also said he saw a silver Vauxhall Astra car with a broken wing mirror parked in Garnock Grove, a lane next to Mr Wade's block of flats, in Glengarnock, North Ayrshire in April or May 2011. | The witness also said he saw a silver Vauxhall Astra car with a broken wing mirror parked in Garnock Grove, a lane next to Mr Wade's block of flats, in Glengarnock, North Ayrshire in April or May 2011. |
This is the same make and colour as the car that was hired on behalf of Ms Spence by a friend days before her disappearance. | This is the same make and colour as the car that was hired on behalf of Ms Spence by a friend days before her disappearance. |
The trial before Lord Pentland continues. | The trial before Lord Pentland continues. |
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