Witness told ‘you don’t have a clue about this’

A WITNESS in the trial of two people accused of murdering a Montrose woman may not have recollected events correctly, a court has heard.

Kimberley MacKenzie, 37, was allegedly murdered at a flat in Montrose’s Market Street on October 27 last year.

Steven Jackson, 40, and Michelle Higgins, 29, are accused of her murder.

Previously, the High Court i n Glasgow heard that Penny Verrall “went mental” when she found out Miss MacKenzie — a close friend — had slept with her son Danny Verrall, who was aged 19 at the time.

Ms Verrall and her partner Philip Keilloh, 35, met Higgins on the morning of October 27 2015 and they told the accused about Danny sleeping with Miss MacKenzie.

Giving evidence, Mr Keilloh said he thought Higgins had asked if they wanted anything done about it and produced a knife, but Mr Keilloh said they only wanted her beaten up.

Mr Keilloh told the court: “I didn’t think anything would happen to Kim.

“I thought she was just lying low because of what had happened with Penny and that she was letting Penny calm down.”

Mark Stewart QC, defending for Higgins, said Mr Keilloh may have become confused with seeing the knife before in Jackson’s property and many other sentences of his statements due to the legal highs he was taking at the time. Mr Stewart said: “You don’t have a clue about the details of any of this.”

Mr Keilloh replied: “I remember pieces of the conversation with Michelle.

“To be honest, I’m 60% sure it happened outside Mr Jackson’s house but if I had to be 100% accurate, I could not say that.”

Mr Keilloh l ater told advocate depute Ashley Edwards QC that while he couldn’t remember the exact location, he was sure Higgins “produced the sgian-dubh and she asked if we would like anything done” after she found out about Ms Verrall’s son sleeping with Miss MacKenzie.

Jackson and Higgins are accused of murdering Miss MacKenzie.

Prosecutors claim the 37-year-old was struck with a hammer, machete and knife or similar items. It’s alleged Miss MacKenzie’s body was dismembered using a saw, knives and a screwdriver or similar instruments.

It is further alleged Miss MacKenzie’s head and other body parts were put inside a rucksack and case and concealed in a shower cubicle.

Jackson, of Market Street, is further charged with two separate drugs offences as well as having a machete in a public place at Fair o’ Blair pub and Balmoral Road, both in Blairgowrie, between November 3 and 4 last year.

Higgins, of Lower Craigo Street, also allegedly had a knife in Montrose High Street on October 27.

The pair deny all the charges and the trial continues.