Now convict accused of 18-year-old murder, QC urges jurors
Prosecutor relives how waiter Chhokar was slain in the street
A PROSECUTOR yesterday urged a jury to convict the man accused of stabbing and murdering a restaurant worker and leaving him to die in the street nearly 18 years ago.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice claimed Surjit Singh Chhokar had been looking forward to his evening after heading home from work with a takeaway.
But the QC yesterday claimed Mr Chhokar was instead attacked, stabbed and murdered by 48year-old Ronnie Coulter in Overtown, Lanarkshire, in 1998.
In his closing speech to the jury in the High Court in Glasgow Mr Prentice said: ‘On November 4, 1998, Surjit Singh Chhokar made his way home from his work with a bottle of juice and a takeaway meal, doubtless looking forward to a pleasant evening.
‘He was confronted in the dark by three men. He was attacked, stabbed, killed, murdered and left in the street.
‘I say to you the person responsible for that is Ronnie Coulter.
‘I ask you to convict Ronnie Coulter of the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar.’
He added: ‘This is a tragic tale. This man’s death occurred simply because Surjit Singh Chhokar’s flat was broken into and his Giro cheque stolen. The incident which led to his death lasted only a couple of minutes if that, yet we have occupied four weeks exploring the events.’
The QC also urged the jury to ignore the fact that there have been two previous trials.
Ronnie Coulter has lodged a special defence blaming his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery.
Both gave evidence in the trial and denied murder.
Mr Prentice told the jurors: ‘There are some unusual features about this case.
‘You have heard quite properly that there have been two previous trials. Ronnie Coulter, Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery have all been tried for murder and all have been acquitted. In large part the previous trials are irrelevant. You have no idea what the evidence was or who the witnesses were.’
Mr Prentice told the jurors that it would be suggested by the defence that there was a conspiracy against Ronnie Coulter.
Referring to the two men Coulter blames for the murder, Mr Prentice said: ‘Andrew Coulter is a killer who carries a knife. He pleaded guilty to culpable homicide of a man by stabbing him on the leg.
‘Does that mean he stabbed Surjit Singh Chhokar? No it doesn’t.
‘There is a theme in crossexamination that he was seeking to divert blame from his uncle Ronnie for revenge or whatever.
‘Andrew Coulter flatly denies having a knife that night and flatly denies stabbing Chhokar.’
Mr Prentice asked the jury: ‘What was Ronnie Coulter’s reason for being there? David Montgomery provided the lift and there was a dispute between Andrew Coulter and Surjit Singh Chhokar. Andrew Coulter had stolen and cashed his Giro.’
Coulter’s QC, Donald Findlay claimed the trial had heard from ‘atrocious witnesses’ who were ‘determined to say what they wanted to say for their own personal reasons’.
The advocate insisted ‘not just white lies’ had been told, but ones which were ‘deliberate and despicable’.
Ronnie Coulter, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, denies murder.
The trial continues.