Father of man accused of inappropriately touching a murdered teenager's body claims son was at home that weekend

79-year-old William Corrigan claims, Stephen Corrigan, went to stay with his family after falling on ice

The trial continues at the High Court in Glasgow.

Author: Rebecca McCurdyPublished 20th Jul 2023

A man accused of inappropriately touching a murdered teenager's body instead of alerting police was with his family all weekend in the evenings, his father has claimed.

Jurors heard from 79-year-old William Corrigan who said his son, Stephen, stayed at his home in Blantyre after a fall on ice left his arm in a sling.

Stephen Corrigan, 45, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of discovering the body of Amber Gibson, 16, but instead of alerting emergency services, he is alleged to have inappropriately touched and concealed her body between November 26 and 28 2021.

Amber's body was discovered at Cadzow Glen, Hamilton, on Sunday November 28.

In the first day of the defence evidence, Corrigan's defence agent Rhonda Anderson asked the retired baker of his son's whereabouts during the weekend in question.

Mr Corrigan said he had taken his son to a hospital appointment earlier in the week, November 23, after he fell on ice.

He said: "I took him to the Hairmyres Hospital on the 23rd. He said he had slipped and fell down and damaged his shoulder."

Corrigan's arm was subsequently placed in a sling, his father said. On the Friday, Corrigan was then transported by his father to get his third coronavirus vaccine.

Mr Corrigan told the court: "One of his arms was in a sling and the other was just jabbed so he was feeling very sore.

"I asked if he could stay the night and said he didn't feel like going home as he was very sore."

He said his son stayed up late that night playing video games.

However, the following day, Mr Corrigan said he left the house for a number of hours to go to the bookmakers and returned home to find his son had left.

During cross-examination from advocate depute Richard Goddard, Mr Corrigan was asked if he remembered what his son had done the previous and following weeks surrounding the time in question.

He replied: "I couldn't tell you."

Mr Goddard continued: "You had no idea where he was when you were away to the bookies?"

The 79-year-old replied: "That's correct."

Mr Corrigan said he fell asleep once he was home from the bookmakers and his son had returned to the house when he woke.

Mr Goddard put it to him that he could not say where Corrigan was or what he was doing during that time. He replied: "That's right."

Another man, Connor Gibson, 20, is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering his sister, Amber, and repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and body on November 26 2021.

Prosecutors also allege he compressed the teenager's neck with his hands and strangling her with the intention to rape her.

Charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of bloodstained clothes and attempting to pervert the course of justice by telling officers he had argued with his sister on November 26 before going to a friend's house were dropped by the Crown.

Both men deny the charges against them, with Corrigan's defence agent lodging a special defence of alibi on his behalf.

The trial, before judge Lord Mulholland, continues.

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