Cranhill Accused "Paranoid" Over Jean Death

Murder accused Paul Ward became paranoid as rumours about his alleged involvement in the death of a woman in Cranhill Park swept the area, a court was told. Ward, 21, is accused of murdering 53-year-old Jean Campbell in the Glasgow park on December 13, 2013, by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a dog lead. He has been deemed unfit to stand trial and is not present in court. He is currently detained in the State Hospital. Mrs Campbell's body was found around 7.40am by he husband John who had returned from nightshift, found their flat in Bellrock Street, Cranhill, empty and had gone looking for her and the family dog Kai. His friend Thomas Leyden, 23, who was giving evidence for a second day at an examination of facts into Mrs Campbell's death, admitted telling police in an interview in March 2014: "I know Paul is paranoid. Everyone thinks it's him and he is getting worked up about it." Mr Leyden, who was interviewed a number of times by detectives investigating Mrs Campbell's death, claimed that they were trying to "put words in my mouth and intimidate me." He told defence QC Donald Findlay: "Quite a lot of the time I would just say what the police wanted me to." Mr Leyden agreed that Ward had told him he had seen Mrs Campbell the night she died. He also admitted that he had said to Ward he should not tell the police this. The defence QC asked: "If Paul Ward had said anything that made you suspicious would you have told the police," and Mr Leyden replied: "Yes. I would have told the police and I would have disowned him. In my eyes, I think he is innocent." When questioned by prosector Alex Prentice QC Mr Leyden told him: "You're as bad a the polis trying to twist my words to suit yourself." Mr Prentice then said; "Paul Ward might have been the last person to see Jean Campbell alive," and Mr Leyden replied: "Apart from the person who did it." The prosecutor added: "The reason you did not report this to the police and told Mr Ward not to tell the police was because you thought he would be a suspect," and he replied: "Yes." Mr Prentice went on: "Paul Ward was becoming paranoid," and Mr Leyden said: "Yes, when the police were intimidating and the rumours started. Everyone was talking about it in Cranhill." The prosecutor then asked Mr Leyden if he had pressed Ward for more details about what he saw that night and what route he had taken and he said: "No. It wasn't a big subject." The hearing before judge Lord Matthews continues.