Two carers accused of murder ‘were not fit to look after woman’

Two people accused of murdering a woman in their care more than 18 years ago were not fit enough to look after her, a court has been told.

Jean McSherry had been engaged to marry the father of Margaret Fleming before he died from cancer in October 1995.

The witness said she tried to keep in contact with the then-teenaged Ms Fleming, but could not as Derek Fleming’s will put her in the care of Edward Cairney and Avril Jones.

Ms Fleming, who was described as having learning difficulties, was reported missing in October 2016 from her home in Inverkip, Inverclyde, but it is claimed she has not been seen since December 1999.

Cairney, 76, and Jones, 58, are accused of her abduction and murder, and of fraudulently claiming £182,000 in benefits by pretending she was still alive.

The pair are on trial at the High Court in Glasgow, where they deny all the charges against them.

Advocate depute Iain McSporran QC asked Ms McSherry what she thought about the two accused becoming carers for Ms Fleming.

The 66-year-old, from Shettleston, said: “I wasn’t happy about it.

“I didn’t think they were fit enough, I didn’t think they were the right sort of people to look after Margaret.”

Mr McSporran then asked if she tried to make contact with Ms Fleming after she began living with the pair.

She said: “They told me she had nothing to do with me. I did try phoning Eddie and Avril, it was Eddie I always spoke to.”

Thomas Ross QC, representing Cairney, suggested Ms McSherry had been “a wee bit dishonest” with the jury in that she had made “absolutely no effort to maintain a relationship” with Ms Fleming after her fiance’s death.

She denied the allegation. Cairney and Jones, described as friends of Mr Fleming, are accused of murdering Ms Fleming, who would now be 37, by unknown means at some point between December 18 1999 and January 5 2000 – a charge they deny.

They also deny charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. The trial continues.