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Corstorphine Hill murder trial told of 'voices' claim | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A murder trial has been told a man accused of killing his mother said to a friend that he had been hearing voices in his head. | |
Mohammed Razaq said the conversations with James Dunleavy took place before Philomena Dunleavy was found dead. | |
Mr Dunleavy, 40 - also known as Seamus Dunleavy - denies murdering his mother, Philomena, 66, from Marino, Dublin. | |
He also denies cutting off her head and legs and taking her, in a suitcase, to be buried on Corstorphine Hill. | He also denies cutting off her head and legs and taking her, in a suitcase, to be buried on Corstorphine Hill. |
Mr Razaq, who used Mr Dunleavy's bedroom to pray when he could not get to his local mosque, said there was a bond between them "like brothers". | |
He had a set of keys for Mr Dunleavy's flat, which was above his shop in Edinburgh's Balgreen Road. | |
'Angry and agitated' | |
Mr Razaq said their friendship broke down after Philomena Dunleavy came to visit her son in April 2013. | |
He witnessed a conversation when Mr Dunleavy was angry and agitated because his mother had separated from his father and moved in with another man. | |
When he tried to visit the following evening, Mr Dunleavy would not let him in. | |
"I put the key into the door of the house. I had opened the door barely a foot and James stood in the house and blocked it with his foot." | |
Mr Razaq told the trial that Dunleavy said: "My mum is not well. She is sleeping. You cannot come in tonight." | |
The shop manager added: "He had never done that before. I was taken aback, slightly upset. | |
"I thought maybe I had done something the previous night which had upset him and our friendship was at risk." | |
'Dishevelled' | |
He added that Dunleavy looked as though he had not slept: "It was odd to me. His appearance is normally smart but he looked very dishevelled." | |
Mr Razaq was then told that Mrs Dunleavy had returned to Dublin - without saying goodbye to her son. | |
On a later visit to Mr Razaq's shop, Mr Dunleavy stayed talking until closing time. | |
Mr Razaq told the court: "His opening comment to me was 'I might be evil. I might be hearing voices in my head.'" | |
Questioned by defence QC Gordon Jackson, Mr Razaq agreed that, although there had been a "lively discussion" between Mr Dunleavy and his mother about her marriage break-up, there had been no threat of violence. | |
Earlier, the court heard how experts uncovered a dismembered body in a shallow grave. | |
The jury at the High Court in Edinburgh was shown time-lapse images of the forensic work. | |
Forensic archaeologist Dr Jennifer Miller told the court the dead woman looked as though she had been given "a Christian burial" at the site, on Edinburgh's Corstorphine Hill. | Forensic archaeologist Dr Jennifer Miller told the court the dead woman looked as though she had been given "a Christian burial" at the site, on Edinburgh's Corstorphine Hill. |
"Everything was facing east," she said. "In an archaeological context that would suggest a Christian burial. It is facing the rising sun." | |
Sandy soil | Sandy soil |
Dr Miller, who has 19 years experience in forensic archaeology, said the grave - no deeper than 46cm (1ft 6in) would have been difficult to dig. | Dr Miller, who has 19 years experience in forensic archaeology, said the grave - no deeper than 46cm (1ft 6in) would have been difficult to dig. |
Under a top layer of sandy soil the ground was so hard it could break a spade, she said. | Under a top layer of sandy soil the ground was so hard it could break a spade, she said. |
The archaeologist also told the trial that the dead woman could have eaten a curry, possibly eight hours before she died. | The archaeologist also told the trial that the dead woman could have eaten a curry, possibly eight hours before she died. |
Dr Miller said she was later given a jar of caraway seeds seized by police from a flat in Balgreen Road in Edinburgh. | Dr Miller said she was later given a jar of caraway seeds seized by police from a flat in Balgreen Road in Edinburgh. |
"I examined the seeds and concluded they were of the same type as those found in the stomach contents," she told the court. | "I examined the seeds and concluded they were of the same type as those found in the stomach contents," she told the court. |
Mr Dunleavy is accused of battering his mother to death between 30 April and 7 May last year. | Mr Dunleavy is accused of battering his mother to death between 30 April and 7 May last year. |
He is also alleged to have attempted to defeat the ends of justice by trying to cover up the alleged murder and destroy evidence. | He is also alleged to have attempted to defeat the ends of justice by trying to cover up the alleged murder and destroy evidence. |
At the time, Mr Dunleavy was living in a flat Edinburgh's Balgreen Road. | At the time, Mr Dunleavy was living in a flat Edinburgh's Balgreen Road. |
'Blunt force trauma' | 'Blunt force trauma' |
The murder charge alleges that it was there that he inflicted "blunt force trauma" by means unknown, compressed his mother's throat and cut off her head and legs with a blade and something like a saw. | The murder charge alleges that it was there that he inflicted "blunt force trauma" by means unknown, compressed his mother's throat and cut off her head and legs with a blade and something like a saw. |
A second charge accuses Mr Dunleavy of pretending his mother was unwell and had returned to Ireland. | A second charge accuses Mr Dunleavy of pretending his mother was unwell and had returned to Ireland. |
The charge further alleges that he put his mother's torso, severed legs and head into a suitcase and took the dismembered body to Corstorphine Hill where he buried her. | The charge further alleges that he put his mother's torso, severed legs and head into a suitcase and took the dismembered body to Corstorphine Hill where he buried her. |
Prosecutors also claim that Mr Dunleavy vacuumed and washed his flat to remove blood stains and torched a bed and mattress. He also, allegedly, got rid of her mobile phone and one he used himself. | Prosecutors also claim that Mr Dunleavy vacuumed and washed his flat to remove blood stains and torched a bed and mattress. He also, allegedly, got rid of her mobile phone and one he used himself. |
Mr Dunleavy denies all the charges. | Mr Dunleavy denies all the charges. |
The trial at the High Court in Edinburgh continues. | The trial at the High Court in Edinburgh continues. |
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