Kriss trial hears of house hunt

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One of the men accused of abducting and murdering Kriss Donald made a mobile phone call that afternoon saying he had somebody with him, the trial has heard.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq asked for a house where he could take someone.

The jury also learned the three accused men were brought back to Scotland from Pakistan by detectives.

Imran Shahid, his brother Zeeshan and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq deny abduction and racially aggravated murder.

Witness Scott Percy, 28, told the court he had been introduced to a number of Asians including Mushtaq, who he knew as "Beck".

I cannot remember exactly what he said but he did say he had somebody Scott Percy

The trial saw mobile phone records which showed a call at 1538 BST to Mr Percy's mobile from a number said to be linked to Mushtaq.

Mr Percy said he remembered a call from Beck asking him if he still had access to a friend's house in the Barlanark area of Glasgow and Mr Percy told him he did not.

"I cannot remember exactly what he said but he did say he had somebody," Mr Percy told the court.

He said Beck did not say where he was or where he was intending to go.

Extradition proceedings

The court heard that soon afterwards, on 1 April, Mr Percy made a statement to police in which he said: "Beck asked me if I had a house to take somebody into."

Asked by advocate depute Mark Stewart QC, prosecuting, if he was sure the call came from Beck, Mr Percy replied: "I ran about with him for long enough. I know what he sounded like."

Earlier, Sgt Malcolm Mitchell said he met Imran Shahid, his brother Zeeshan Shahid and another man, Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq, at Islamabad Airport in October last year - about 18 months after the abduction and murder of Kriss Donald, 15.

Questioned by David Burns QC, defending Imran Shahid, the sergeant said he had not been involved in any of the "procedures" which went before his own visit to Islamabad.

"Were you aware Imran Shahid was willing to return to the UK?" asked the lawyer, adding that Imran Shahid had contacted police to tell them of that.

"I believe this was the case" replied Sgt Mitchell, formerly a detective constable.

The court heard details of the stolen car

The trial also heard from Malcolm Dippie, from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service, that the silver Mercedes allegedly used to abduct Kriss from Kenmure Street, Pollokshields, on 15 March, 2004, was deliberately set on fire that night.

He said that after the car was extinguished in Granby Lane, near Byres Road, there was a smell of petrol which had not come from a ruptured fuel tank.

He added that there seemed to be two places where the fire had begun.

"I believe it was started intentionally," he told the court.

Mr Dippie also said he could not remember seeing number plates on the burning Mercedes.

Later, forensic scientists found a burned Nike training shoe and a partly-burned leather jacket in the car.

Stolen car

Detective Constable Nadia Gardiner, then working with Strathclyde Police stolen vehicle section, said tyre marks were identified as being from a Mercedes Kompressor which had been stolen from the Motherwell area on 18 February, 2004.

Imran Shahid, 29, his brother Zeeshan Shahid, 29, and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq, 27, are accused of abducting Kriss Donald, repeatedly slashing him with knives or similar instruments, then setting him on fire after a terror drive to Dundee and back.

His burned and bloodied body was found by the Clyde Walkway.

The charge against them alleges that they were acting with two other men - Daanish Zahid, who is serving life for the murder and Zahid Mohammed, 22 - who served half of a five year sentence for assaulting Kriss and lying to police.

Imran Shahid has lodged a special defence blaming Daanish Zahid and Zahid Mohammed "and others" for the murder.

The trial continues on Monday.