Witness at murder trial says ‘We didn’t have sex’

Awoman has denied she had sex with a man who was allegedly murdered by her former boyfriend at her Perth home.

Shannon Beattie, 25, was giving evidence at the high court trial of Robbie Smullen, who is accused of assaulting and murdering Barry Dixon in June 2019.

She told the court 23-year-old Smullen had stabbed her friend Mr Dixon at her flat in the city’s Wallace Court.

She told the High Court in Edinburgh: “We didn’t have sex. I don’t recall having any sexual intercourse with Barry Dixon and it is something I would remember no matter how intoxicated I got.”

She earlier told the court she and Mr Dixon had kissed and he was in his boxers at her flat before Smullen arrived.

“I think he had a top on and he was in his boxers with his top on,” she said.

Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci QC, for Robbie Smullen, asked if Mr Dixon was going to be staying overnight and she replied: “Yes, he asked me.”

Mr Renucci asked if she could remember how Mr Dixon’s top came off if the jury had heard evidence he was not wearing a top and she responded: “No.”

The defence counsel asked if it was her evidence that she remembered some bits, but could not remember other bits and she replied: “Yes.”

She said she did not know if that was because of the condition she was in with drink and drugs. She agreed that she had got “pretty drunk”.

She also agreed she told police that she had taken about three lines of cocaine.

Miss Beattie said she and Mr Dixon would text each other “on and off ”, but said they had not exchanged texts that night.

She earlier told the High Court in Edinburgh that she ran out after Smullen stabbed her friend.

She agreed she had a mobile phone at the time and prosecutor Erin Campbell asked why she did not call an ambulance. Miss Beattie said: “I couldn’t find the phone. I didn’t know where it was.”

She said she was heading for her mother’s house, but stopped at Jordan Walker’s address after she heard loud music.

She was asked what she said and replied: “Robbie had just murdered my friend,’ was my exact words.”

Miss Beattie said she was “terrified” and “scared” and added she told Mr Walker to phone the police before she left to go to her mother’s home.

Smullen has denied murdering Mr Dixon by striking him on the body with a knife or similar instrument at 25 Wallace Court on June 4 2019.

He has also denied assaulting Paul Booth at Nimmo Avenue, in Perth, on June 3 2019 by challenging him to fight, chasing him, fighting with him and repeatedly punching him on the head.

He has lodged special defences of self defence to both of the charges.

Smullen faces a further charge alleging he failed to comply with a bail condition on June 3 and 4 2019 that he remain within 25 Wallace Court between 7pm and 7am.

His mother Mary Theressa Smullen, 46, is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice on June 4 2019 on various occasions at Wallace Court, Craigie Place in Perth and the city’s police station.

It is alleged that knowing her son had stabbed Mr Dixon, she pretended to police that the crime was committed by Shannon Beattie.

The trial before Lady Carmichael continues.