Mother testifies in trial of man accused of murdering daughter
A mother has told a murder trial that she reported her daughter missing after being unable to contact her.
Margaret Faulds, 70, was giving evidence at the trial of prison officer Ross Willox who denies murdering 39-year-old Emma at Fairfield Park, Monkton, Ayrshire, on April 28, 2019, by means unknown.
Prosecutors allege 41-yearold Willox dumped Ms Faulds’ nakedbodyinglentroolforest, Dumfriesshire.
She was reported missing on April302109byhermotherand father, 70-year-old Ian, and a majorpolicesearchwasundertaken. Her body was found by a police search team on June 12, 2019.
Mrs Faulds said that her daughter had her tea at her parents home on April 25 2019 and told them she was going to see Willox on Sunday. The pair becamefriendswhentheyboth worked at Kilmarnock Prison as warders.
Mrs Faulds said her daughter was going to see a rescue dog Willox had just acquired.
At the High Court in Glasgow Mrs Faulds told prosecutor Paul Kearney that she became worried after Ms Faulds, who she described her as “always having a phone on the end of herhand”hadnotbeenintouch with friends or family for a couple of days.
Shesaid:“wewereconcerned because it was totally out of character.shewasintouchevery day. My husband and I knew something was wrong.”
The court heard that on May 10 2019 Willox appeared in court charged with Ms Faulds’ murder–althoughnobodyhad been found.
Mrkearneyaskedmrsfaulds:
“Wereyoutoldabodyhadbeen foundonjune12,2019,”andshe tearfully replied: “Yes. I was.”
She added that she was taken to the site where the body was found and said: “It was very remote. No-one would walk there or drive there. You would have to see it to believe how remote it was.”
Mrsfauldssobbedasthejury was shown CCTV footage of Ms Faulds walking her Westie Maverick at 3.32pm on April 26 2019 and in Home Bargains in Kilmarnock on April 28 2019 at 4.36pm.
Earlier Mrs Faulds told the jury that on April 30 2019 she and her husband were visiting relatives in Brighton when she received a call from her daughter'semployersatkibbleschool in Paisley saying she had not turned up for work.
The trial continues.