WOULD YOU VOTE FOR THIS MAN?
Arlene Fraser murder case suspect in the running for seat on his local council
A SUSPECT in one of Scotland’s most enduring murder mysteries is standing for public office. Wife killer Nat Fraser’s best man Ian “Pedro” Taylor has thrown his hat in the ring for next month’s council elections. The brass-necked
59-year-old was once a suspect in the murder of mother-oftwo Arlene Fraser, whose body has not been found.
He stood by his philandering pal and business partner as Fraser tried to wriggle off the hook before eventually being convicted and jailed.
Now Taylor is attempting to reinvent himself as a pillar of the community.
Yesterday, as he was about to board a flight for a business trip to Argentina, he defended his decision to seek public office.
His take on his involvement in the infamous crime mystery was: “I’m the victim.”
But he insisted the experience had stood him in good stead to stand as a public representative, as it had made him “a stronger and harder person”.
Taylor is standing as an independent candidate for Moray Council’s Fochabers Lhanbryde ward on May 4.
He was one of a number of key players in the long-running saga of Arlene’s disappearance from her home in nearby Elgin, which dates back to 1998.
Fraser was staying with Taylor and his wife Jane in Lhanbryde when his plot to have Arlene murdered was carried out.
Early on, detectives believed that Taylor might have had something to do with the crime.
As Fraser kept up the pretence that Arlene had walked out on their 10-year marriage, Taylor had his pal’s back as they continued business as usual with their fruit and vegetable delivery firm in Elgin.
Taylor told the Record yesterday: “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t take your mate in.
“I thought Arlene had gone away on her holidays, and so did everybody else. Everyone thought she’d just b ****** d off.
“If you asked me now if Nat would be able to stay with me, well no he wouldn’t. He’s not welcome near me, near my family, near nothing.”
It wasn’t until Fraser was first convicted of murdering Arlene in 2003 that Taylor turned on his friend. He whitewashed him out of the business, changing its name from Taylor and Fraser to Speyfruit.
Taylor was watched closely by detectives in the days after Arlene, 33, vanished from the family home at 2 Smith Street, Elgin, on Tuesday, April 28, 1998. He always protested his innocence and was never charged, although he was fined £1500 for illegally possessing four shotguns.
Fraser was tried twice for murdering Arlene and was found guilty both times.
He was jailed for 25 years in 2003 after co-accused Hector Dick turned Queen’s evidence and told how Fraser had hired a hitman to bump off his wife.
A third accused, Glenn Lucas, now dead, walked free.
Fraser won an appeal at the Supreme Court in London in 2011. But the Crown brought fresh proceedings against him and he was convicted of “instructing, instigating and organising” his wife’s murder.
Taylor had never exchanged more than a couple of words with the Record – usually ‘f*** off ’ – until yesterday.
On his long association with Fraser, he said: “He’s in the right place. You can’t turn back history. “The time I knew Nat, I never, ever thought he was going to turn into whatever he turned into. “I would say the journey of life has made me a stronger and harder person … I’ve never, ever done anything. “I was victimised by the police, they threw everything at me. And, surprise, surprise, guess what they found? “On the guns, all I’d done was forget to sign the licence.” He added: “Nat was certainly behind the instigation of Arlene’s disappearance.
“I never want to see him. He will be 72 when he gets out.
“I’ve no qualms with the police, they did what they had to do, they did their work perfect.
“I have changed, I have mellowed down the years and I’ve changed my attitude in life. I was young and fiery.”
On his council bid, he said: “I’ve been in business for 35 years and have so much hassle and grief from the council. They do everything they can to shut small businesses down.
“I’ve moaned and groaned about it but the business has went from success to success.
“We are a very strong company now with a fantastic management team. I feel they can run it and handle it to an extent that I’d like to go and do my bit for the local area.”
If you asked me now if Nat would be able to stay with me, well no he wouldn’t IAN ‘PEDRO’ TAYLOR