Widow was baff led by shortage of cash, murder trial is told
A FRIEND of a pensioner allegedly murdered with a rolling pin after being swindled out of thousands of pounds claimed the 82-year-old was puzzled about why she had so little money.
Mary Logie, whose battered body was discovered in her home, was ‘very upset’ and could not understand why her account was overdrawn, the woman said.
The pensioner’s neighbour Sandra Weir, 41, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh charged with murdering Mrs Logie in Leven, Fife.
Margaret Dow, 81, told jurors the widow’s finances had become so strained she had to cut back on doing things, such as her weekly visit to the hairdresser. Giving evidence on the fifth day of the trial, she added: ‘She was like a sister.’
Mrs Dow told prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, that her friend was a very independent person.
When asked what her friend was like with money, she replied: ‘She was all right with money. She was like most people, she had to watch. We both had to watch the pennies.
‘Over the last year, she was starting to say she was a little bit short. She would say to me, “I don’t know if I’m going to manage to get my hair done this week. I might leave it until next week”. That wasn’t like her.
‘She had a manicure and she had to cut back on that as well.
‘She told me she got a letter from the bank saying something about an overdraft. She was very upset, she didn’t understand why because she never went to what she called “the hole in the wall”.’
Mr Prentice asked Mrs Dow about a ring, described in court as an ‘onyx pinkie ring’ which had belonged to Mrs Logie. She
‘She had to watch the pennies’
replied that the widow, who was known to friends as Rae, was pleased with it and wore it often. Mr Prentice asked: ‘Have you any idea why that ring might have been in a pawnbrokers-type shop?’
Mrs Dow, of Leven, replied: ‘None whatsoever.’ She said she had never heard her friend say she wanted to pawn her ring.
She was then shown a second ring. Mr Prentice said it had been described as a diamond ring and asked: ‘Have you any idea why that ring might have been the subject of a pawn or credit agreement?’ Mrs Dow replied: ‘No.’ The advocate depute asked: ‘Did Rae ever mention putting that ring into a pawnbrokers?’ She said: ‘Definitely not.’ Weir denies murdering her neighbour Mrs Logie and seven other charges.
She is accused of killing the pensioner by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a rolling pin or similar instrument at Mrs Logie’s home on January 5.
She faces charges including attempting to defeat the ends of justice and stealing unknown quantities of money, two rings and Mrs Logie’s bank card or cards.
Prosecutors allege she used Mrs Logie’s bank card to steal £4,460 at cash machines between December 2014 and January 4 this year.
Weir’s defence counsel, solicitor advocate Murray Macara, QC, has lodged a special defence of alibi in relation to the murder charge.
The trial continues.