Accused ‘said he would sort out man for £400’

A MAN accused of murdering an oil worker told a friend he could ‘sort out’ her ex-boyfriend for ‘£400’, a court has heard.

Callum Davidson, Steven Dickie and the dead man’s girlfriend, Tasmin Glass, are on trial for the killing of Steven Donaldson.

Yesterday, the court heard Davidson allegedly offered to help a friend of Glass with boyfriend problems if she paid him.

Davidson had also contacted a family friend to ask for ‘back-up’ during the night Mr Donaldson, from Arbroath, Angus, was murdered, the court heard.

Glass, 20, Davidson, 23, and Dickie, 23, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh charged with murdering Mr Donaldson, 27.

They allegedly arranged to meet him in Kirriemuir, Angus, before assaulting him ‘whereby he was incapacitated’, then took him to a car park at the Loch of Kinnordy Nature Reserve.

The charge alleges they then struck him on the head and body with a knife, baseball bat or similar instruments and on the head and neck and set fire to him and his car. His body and BMW were found on June 7 last year.

The jury heard from witness Paige Jolly, who said before she began dating Dickie, she had a relationship with Philip Coventry.

Following the break-up with Mr Coventry, Miss Jolly, 19, said she confided in Davidson about messages she had from Mr Coventry.

Miss Jolly said: ‘He said if I gave him £400, he’d sort Philip out.’

She also said Glass had told her she had £3,000 in her bank which belonged to Mr Donaldson.

Also providing evidence was a family friend of Davidson. Colin Chalmers, 43, said he had a phone call from the 23-year-old. When asked what it was about, Mr Chalmers responded: ‘He was getting trouble from someone and asked if I was available.’

Glass, Dickie and Davidson have pleaded not guilty to murder. Dickie and Davidson also deny assault and threatening behaviour charges.

The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues.