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| Lynda Spence trial: Coats and Wade guilty of torture case murder | Lynda Spence trial: Coats and Wade guilty of torture case murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two men have been found guilty of abducting, torturing and murdering missing businesswoman Lynda Spence. | Two men have been found guilty of abducting, torturing and murdering missing businesswoman Lynda Spence. |
| Colin Coats and Philip Wade, both 42, denied killing the 27-year-old financial adviser, who was last seen in Glasgow in April 2011. Her body has never been found. | Colin Coats and Philip Wade, both 42, denied killing the 27-year-old financial adviser, who was last seen in Glasgow in April 2011. Her body has never been found. |
| They were convicted following a 13-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. | They were convicted following a 13-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. |
| Co-accused David Parker and Paul Smith admitted assaulting Ms Spence and holding her against her will. | Co-accused David Parker and Paul Smith admitted assaulting Ms Spence and holding her against her will. |
| Parker, 38, and Smith, 47, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Spence by hitting her with a golf club, burning her hand, cutting off her thumb and failing to get medical help. | Parker, 38, and Smith, 47, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Spence by hitting her with a golf club, burning her hand, cutting off her thumb and failing to get medical help. |
| They were also originally charged with Ms Spence's murder but were cleared after pleading guilty to the reduced charge. | They were also originally charged with Ms Spence's murder but were cleared after pleading guilty to the reduced charge. |
| The court heard how friends Coats and Wade abducted Ms Spence on 14 April 2011 and taped her to a chair in an attic at a flat in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire. | The court heard how friends Coats and Wade abducted Ms Spence on 14 April 2011 and taped her to a chair in an attic at a flat in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire. |
| The court was told that Ms Spence was held at the flat for a fortnight as Coats and Wade tried to force her to reveal details of financial deals. | |
| The trial heard evidence that Ms Spence was involved in deals with faked Danish bearer bonds and a land sale at Stansted Airport. | The trial heard evidence that Ms Spence was involved in deals with faked Danish bearer bonds and a land sale at Stansted Airport. |
| The prosecution claimed that Coats had provided short-term loans to Ms Spence and held her responsible for losing his money and duping him over deals. | The prosecution claimed that Coats had provided short-term loans to Ms Spence and held her responsible for losing his money and duping him over deals. |
| When it became clear that she was continuing to mislead them, Coats and Wade murdered her and disposed of her body, the court was told. | When it became clear that she was continuing to mislead them, Coats and Wade murdered her and disposed of her body, the court was told. |
| Parker and Smith claimed they were offered money to guard Ms Spence at the flat. | Parker and Smith claimed they were offered money to guard Ms Spence at the flat. |
| Unpaid debt | Unpaid debt |
| Giving evidence at the trial, Coats said Ms Spence arranged to stay in the Meadowfoot Road flat herself. | Giving evidence at the trial, Coats said Ms Spence arranged to stay in the Meadowfoot Road flat herself. |
| The accused said she wanted to lie low because of threats from former business associates over an unpaid debt and disappeared from the property one day when Smith and Parker were not there. | The accused said she wanted to lie low because of threats from former business associates over an unpaid debt and disappeared from the property one day when Smith and Parker were not there. |
| A spot of blood identified as Ms Spence's found on the linoleum floor at the foot of the bath. | A spot of blood identified as Ms Spence's found on the linoleum floor at the foot of the bath. |
| However, Coats' lawyer suggested that this could have been consistent with her ordinary use of the bathroom. | However, Coats' lawyer suggested that this could have been consistent with her ordinary use of the bathroom. |
| The defence said the Crown failed to prove that Ms Spence was even dead, leading evidence from witnesses who claimed to have seen her after she was allegedly killed. | The defence said the Crown failed to prove that Ms Spence was even dead, leading evidence from witnesses who claimed to have seen her after she was allegedly killed. |
| But the jury did not believe these claims and convicted Coats and Wade of abducting, assaulting, robbing and murdering Ms Spence, and a second charge of clearing up after the alleged crime in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice. | But the jury did not believe these claims and convicted Coats and Wade of abducting, assaulting, robbing and murdering Ms Spence, and a second charge of clearing up after the alleged crime in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice. |