Witness tells court of ‘smell’ from flat

Kimberley MacKenzie, 37, was allegedly killed at a flat on Market Street, Montrose, on October 27 last year.

Steven Jackson, 40, and Michelle Higgins, 29, are standing trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of her murder.

Michelle Emslie, 33, of Montrose, had been friends with Miss MacKenzie for many years and found out her pal had been reported missing on November 3 last year.

She went round to Market Street, where Jackson lived, to try and find him the following day. Ms Emslie told the court: “I went up to the house and I was banging on the windows.” Advocate depute Ashley Edwards QC said: “As you were standing trying to get in the close did you notice anything?” Ms Emslie answered: “Yes, the smell.” Ms Edwards asked what the smell was like. Ms Emslie replied: “Rotten.” The court also heard that Jackson had a CCTV camera in his living room window to see who was outside his home. Ms Emslie said he was a drug dealer — mainly dealing heroin — and he received cash and sexual favours for dealing.

The CCTV cameras were to make sure he could see if the police were at his door, she said.

Prosecutors claim Miss MacKenzie was struck with a hammer, machete and knife or similar items and that her body was dismembered using a saw, knives and a screwdriver or similar instruments.

Parts of the corpse are said to have been wrapped in bin liners and bags and hidden in bins at a number of addresses in Montrose.

Jackson, of Market Street, is also charged with two separate drugs offences as well as having a machete in a public place between November 3 and 4 last year.

Higgins, of Lower Craigo Street, faces a similar allegation of having a knife while i n Montrose High Street on October 27.

The pair deny all the charges against them.

A TAYSIDE woman has told a court of a “rotten” smell coming from the flat in which her friend is alleged to have been murdered.

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