Shopping advice for jurors

A JUDGE dismissed a rape trial’s remote jury for the day, suggesting they might want to go Christmas shopping.

Lord Mulholland explained that two witnesses scheduled to give evidence against Paul Hill, 54, were not available.

The judge spoke to jurors seated in the Odeon Cinema complex at Fort Kinnaird, Edinburgh, 26 miles from where the trial is being conducted at the High Court at Livingston.

Hill, 54, of Ayr, faces a total of 24 historic charges involving incidents in Dundee and Aberdeen, including seven counts of rape and five counts of assault to danger of life.

The prosecution also alleges he drowned a pet parakeet in a kitchen sink, caused the death of a kitten by unknown means, threw a woman’s cat out of a window, and threatened to injure or abandon his dog.

Lord Mulholland said: “Depending on what decisions are taken in respect of the two witnesses, that will impact on the final amendments to the indictment, which then has to be approved by the court.

“We need to get copies of it and copies have to get out to where you are. That’s one of the difficulties of the remote juries at Fort Kinnaird.

“I don’t want you hanging around for hours on end.

“Having taken soundings from the advocate depute and Mr McElroy (defence counsel) the likelihood of you hearing any evidence today is, according to Mr McElroy ‘pretty slim’.

“I can get an update from counsel later and you’ll find out on Monday morning.”

He added: “I don’t know if you want to visit any shops. You can go home, you can do whatever you want but your involvement for today is over.”

He said he did not think the delay would affect the overall length of the trial which is due to finish by the end of next week.

One of yesterday’s witnesses – who can’t be identified for legal reasons – was due to give evidence alleging that accused Paul Hill assaulted her to the danger of her life and raped her. The other was cited to speak to a charge that Hill called her abusive names, uttered threats and threw a remote control at her.

Hill denies all the allegations and the trial, before Lord Mulholland, continues.

STAFF at Langlands Primary School in Forfar were astounded by the amazing response of pupils to their S-Mart appeal.

The school held a Christmas Jumper Day and asked children to donate food or toiletries for S-Mart, a shop set up in town earlier this year to tackle excessive food waste from supermarkets and food poverty.

Following a deluge of bags and boxes of food and toiletries, a whole room in the school was commandeered as a temporary store.