Emma Caldwell's mum describes the search for missing daughter

The mother of Emma Caldwell told jurors of her final moments with her daughter and her hunt to try and find her when she went missing. Margaret Caldwell, 76, recalled her youngest child waving her goodbye on Sunday April 3 2005 and calling back: “Bye, Mum - phone you Monday or Tuesday.”

The 27 year-old is said to have been murdered two days later in remote woods in South Lanarkshire.

After Emma was initially reported missing, Mrs Caldwell and her now late husband William searched for weeks hoping to find their daughter who had latterly been living in a hostel.

Mrs Caldwell said: “We went out every morning around the area and Glasgow city centre itself.

“We spent hours and hours every day looking for her.

“Sometimes you thought you saw her in the distance, but it was someone else.

“We did not know what else to do.”

Miss Caldwell’s body was later found on May 8 2005 in Limefield Woods in Biggar.

Iain Packer is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow and denies a total of 46 charges which includes the murder of Miss Caldwell.

Mrs Caldwell today told how she had three children - Karen, Jamie and Emma.

The pensioner described them having a "happy home" living together as a family in Cardross, Argyll and Bute.

The court heard Karen died in May 1998 at the age of 31. Her sister was around 20 then.

Jurors were shown a smiling photo of the two together with Mrs Caldwell describing her elder daughter as "very ill" at the time.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard KC asked the mum: "How did the passing of Karen affect Emma?"

She replied: "It affected her badly. I think at the time I was so deep in grief that she needed my help, but I was very selfish and I know my family suffered because of that - both my son and Emma."

The court heard Miss Caldwell - who had achieved seven standard grades and four highers at school - entered into a relationship with an un-named "male".

Mrs Caldwell soon became her daughter was using drugs.

The mum was asked if the loss of Karen was possibly linked to this.

Mrs Caldwell: "Yes, she had met someone...she told him how badly it had affected her.

"He said that he had 'something that could help with that'."

Mrs Caldwell believed the drug was heroin.

Mr Goddard: "Did you see a change in Emma when she told you that she was using heroin?"

She replied: "Yes."

Around 2002, Miss Caldwell had been living and working at Dumbreck Stables in Glasgow before moving to the city's Govan to stay with the man who introduced her to drugs.

She went on to stay at the Inglefield Hostel in Glasgow's Govanhill.

But, Mrs Caldwell and her husband kept a "weekly routine" of meeting up with their daughter, who stayed in regular contact.

Mrs Caldwell would meet her every Sunday, Mr Caldwell on a Wednesday.

This was to help her with washing clothes, top up her mobile phone and give her food.

Mrs Caldwell recalled, despite her daughter's addiction issues, they did not talk about it a "great deal" with her.

She told the jurors: "We were just happy to be with her."

Mrs Caldwell, however, stated she was "overjoyed" when their daughter spoke about going into re-hab.

Mr Goodard asked the mum if she was aware how Miss Caldwell funded her habit.

Mrs Caldwell: "We did not realise - we were naive. We did not know how much these things cost."

The prosecutor went on to ask Mrs Caldwell about seeing her daughter on April 3 2005.

Mr Goddard: "Do you recall that being the last visit of ever meeting Emma at the hostel?"

Mrs Caldwell: "Yes, it same routine, but she seemed a bit nervous."

They bought daffodils and a card for Miss Caldwell's grandmother and also went to McDonald's before returning to Inglefield.

Mrs Caldwell: "She was agitated in some way. Normally we would speak in the car for ages...I would normally park wherever there was a space, but she started to want to be dropped off at the door."

Mr Goddard: "You saw Emma going into the hostel waving to you?"

She replied: "Yes, 'bye mum...phone you Monday or Tuesday'."

The advocate depute: "Did she phone you Monday or Tuesday?"

The mum: "No."

The couple tried calling the daughter in the days ahead to rearrange her dad's visit.

Mrs Caldwell: "There was no reply...no reply Thursday, no reply Friday."

This was said to be "highly unusual" and the parents became increasingly worried.

Mr Goddard: "You and your husband never heard from her again after she was dropped off on April 3?"

Mrs Caldwell: "No, we never heard from her again."

The couple soon reported her missing to the police - but the Caldwells still continued the search themselves for several weeks.

It was on May 8 they got the news Miss Caldwell had been found dead.

Mr Goddard: "This was in remote woodland - LImefields Woods in South Lanarkshire.

"Did the family have any connection to that part of the country at all?"

Mrs Caldwell: "No connection whatsoever."

Packer denies the charges. The trial, before judge Lord Beckett, continues.

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