Accused admitted stabbing, court told

A woman on trial for murder told a friend “the police are coming – I just stabbed Marie” on the phone minutes after an alleged fatal confrontation, a court has heard.

Siobhan Russell is standing trial accused of striking 36-yearold Marie Low on the body with a knife at Ballantrae Terrace on September 4 last year.

Russell’s trial began on Tuesday at the High Court in Aberdeen and she denied the charges against her, lodging a special defence of self-defence.

On day four of the trial, the court heard evidence from the accused’ s friend Leanne Carty, 34, who had been due to cook tea for her on the day of Ms Low’s death.

She told the court that she had seen police cars outside of Russell’s home in the immediate aftermath of the incident and phoned her.

Ms Carty told the court that Russell had answered the phone crying and said “Leanne I have to go, the police are coming – I just stabbed Marie.”

Russell was then said to have hung up the phone.

The court also heard evidence from Ballantrae Terrace resident Jemma Sproull, 20 – who witnessed events from her living room prior to Russell’s arrest.

Ms Sproull told of seeing “three females fighting” outside of her home on the day of Ms Low’s death.

Part of her statement was also read, which stated “it was two against one”. The statement continued: “When I first looked out the window I thought that the girl on her own was going to get battered by the other two girls.

“Siobhan Russell was on the ground and Marie had hold of her hair and Jamie-Lee was kicking her on the head.”

She said she heard Russell shout “well you shouldn’t have come to my door” and that someone said “something about her having a knife”.

Russell, formerly of Ballantrae Terrace, faces two charges – one of behaving in a threatening manner to Ms Low and another of murdering her with a knife or similar instrument.

The trial continues.

Marie Low.