Woman accused of murdering Dundee mother Marie Low awaits trial verdict

A JURY is set to decide the fate of a woman accused of murdering a Dundee mum in the street.

Siobhan Russell is standing trial accused of killing 36-year-old Marie Low (pictured left) by striking her on t he body with a knife at Ballantrae Terrace on September 4 last year.

The 30-year-old denies the charge, claiming she had been defending herself — lodging a special defence of self-defence — after being attacked by Ms Low and her eldest daughter Jamie-Lee.

Witnesses gave evidence for five days at the High Court in Aberdeen, before solicitors finished their final submissions.

The court heard accounts from several people who claimed to have witnessed events leading up to Ms Low’s death.

The jury heard how Ms Low and Russell had fought repeatedly in the day’s leading up to the fatal confrontation.

In a final fight on September 4, Ms Low was fatally stabbed by Russell.

The fact that Russell stabbed Ms Low is not disputed.

However, prosecutors say that the lethal wound was inflicted prior to the accused being assaulted by the deceased and her daughter.

Agents acting in defence of Russell say the wound was inflicted following the beating.

Defending Russell, solicitor advocate Iain Patterson delivered his closing statement to the members of the jury.

He said: “I am going to ask you to find Siobhan Russell not guilty or not proven of the charge she faces and that the Crown has failed to prove that she was not acting in self-defence.”

Mr Paterson said the Crown had to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” Russell had “acted with wicked recklessness” to return a murder conviction.

But he added if jurors believed she had been provoked, but was still responsible for Ms Low’s death, then they could return a verdict of culpable homicide.

Mr Paterson also referred to witnesses’ evidence who said they saw Ms Low with a knife and an item i n her hand.

He also replayed CCTV footage which showed a woman in white and a woman in black approaching the close where Russell l i v e d , s i mi l a r to t he clothes Ms Low and her daughter Jamie-Lee Low, 18, were seen wearing. Jurors were also shown pictures of injuries sustained by Russell during the alleged incident. Mr Paterson said that Ms Low “must have been a nightmare — an absolute nightmare — to live anywhere near”. He added: “Antisocial behaviour, loud, nasty, threatening, abusive, assaulting people and bully-like behaviour — her way or no way.” Earlier, prosecuting advocate depute Alan Cameron delivered his closing statement to the members of the jury. He said the evidence of the case showed Russell had not acted in self-defence, and that she had willingly involved herself in a confrontation. He said Russell herself had taken the knife from her home — and subsequently used it — but a second knife recovered from the scene was “a red herring”, he said. Lord Burns explained the legal boundaries of the case to the jury before they were sent away. Jurors had not yet returned with a verdict at the time of going to press. Siobhan Russell.