Murder trial hears of severed head discovery

Harrowing find was made when police forced entry into property

The severed head of a missing mother-of-three was found inside a suitcase at an empty flat in Montrose, a murder trial has heard.

The head was wrapped in two bin liners and tied up with a necklace.

Police forced their way into the property at William Phillips Drive and found the suitcase and a pink rucksack hidden inside a shower unit.

The grim discovery was made on November 5, last year – just days after Kimberley MacKenzie was reported missing.

Steven Jackson, 40, and Michelle Higgins, 28, deny murdering Miss McKenzie and cutting up her body.

The pair are further accused of disposing of body parts in bins around the town.

Jurors heard that Higgins was found with a key to the William Phillips Drive property when she was detained by police In Aberdeen.

Detective Constable Victor Whyte told the court that the suitcase and rucksack were taken from the flat to Dundee mortuary for examination.

Mr Whyte said that inside the suitcase was Miss MacKenzie’s head and two thighs.

The bag containing the head was knotted and had a necklace looped around the end, Mr Whyte said.

Inside the rucksack were more bags containing Miss MacKenzie’s left knee and lower leg and her left arm and hand.

Lady Rae warned jurors and members of the public before showing a photograph of a hand inside a thin plastic bag.

Murray Pete, a mark enhancement recovery officer for the Scottish Police Authority, said that a fingerprint was found under the knot on the back which contained the head.

He said further prints were found on a Skean Dhu dagger, which was recovered by police from behind a box in Jackson’s living room.

The trial heard that Higgins was detained by police in Aberdeen on November 6, the day after the body parts were discovered.

Detective Constable Kim Duncan, 31, said that her colleagues had traced Higgins, and boyfriend David Melville, to Market Street in the city centre.

As she sat in the back of the car, Higgins burst into tears. She told DC Duncan she understood why she was being detained. “It’s that lassie Kim,” she said. “It’s common knowledge that she had been murdered.”

Higgins went on tell how Jackson had been Miss MacKenzie’s boyfriend and that she had also been in a relationship with Jackson for about three weeks. She added: “It happened on Monday.” But when questioned about what she said to DC Duncan during a police interview, she said: “I never said it happened on Monday. I never said he murdered anybody on Monday.”

The trial continues.

Lady Rae warned jurors and members of the public before showing a photograph of a hand inside a thin plastic bag