Woman faces trial after denying murder of Dundee mum

court: Siobhan Russell is accused of killing Marie Low in the city’s Douglas area last year

A woman will stand trial after pleading not guilty to murdering a Dundee mum of four.

Siobhan Russell, 30, entered a not guilty plea at a preliminary hearing at Glasgow High Court on Wednesday morning.

Russell is said to have struck 36-yearold Marie Low on the body with a knife at Ballantrae Terrace on September 4 last year.

During the hearing, the 30-year-old’s lawyer, Iain Russell, lodged a special defence of self-defence.

Following the plea, Lady Scott set a date for trial to go ahead at the High Court in Aberdeen on August 14 this year.

Russell, formerly of Ballantrae Terrace, faces two charges.

The first alleges that on various occasions on September 2 2016 and September 3 2016, at an address on Ballantrae Terrace and the street outside, Russell behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly attending at the address, occupied by Ms Low, and shouting, swearing and uttering threats towards the victim.

The same charge alleges that Russell brandished a knife at Ms Low and engaged in a fight with her.

The second charge claims that on September 4 last year Russell assaulted Ms Low, struggled with her, pulled her hair, seized her by the neck, and repeatedly attempted to strike her on the body with a knife or similar instrument.

The charge goes on to say Russell struck Ms Low on the body with a knife or similar instrument and murdered her, having previously evinced malice and ill will towards Ms Low.

Marie, 36, who friends described as “one in a million”, was due to become a grandmother for the first time before last September’s incident.

Marie Low was due to become a grandmother for the first time.

The accused is said to have struck the victim with a knife at Ballantrae Terrace on September 4 last year.