Accused carer ‘in touch with murder victim’
Court hears claim woman is not dead
BY LAURA PATERSON TWO carers accused of murdering a missing woman claim she is still alive – and that one has been in contact with her, a court has heard.
Margaret Fleming was reported missing from her home in Inverkip, Inverclyde, in October 2016 but has allegedly not been seen since December 1999.
Edward Cairney, 76, and Avril Jones, 58, are due to face trial next month accused of her abduction and murder and of claiming £182,000 in benefits by pretending she was still alive.
At a pre-trial hearing at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, prosecutor Iain McSporran QC said: “At least one of the accused has claimed to be in telephone contact with Margaret Fleming. The defence position is that Margaret is not dead.”
McSporran added: “It will be a lengthy trial. Much of which will be devoted to establishing that Margaret Fleming is in fact deceased.”
Defence QC Thomas Ross, for Cairney, said the volume of material in the case is “extraordinary”. There could be 200 witnesses. It is alleged Cairney and Jones abducted Margaret, locked her in a room, assaulted her and bound her with tape on various occasions between 1995 and 2000.
The pair are accused of murdering Margaret, who would be 37, by unknown means at some point between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000.
They are also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of, destroying or concealing Margaret’s remains and personal effects. It’s also alleged they planned to travel and evade police and prosecutors.
They deny all charges against them. The case was continued until Friday.