Man accused of chopping up body claims he only meant to scare victim

A murder suspect claims he did not mean to a kill a man whose body he then chopped up.

David Collins (46) said he only tried to scare Kevin Bishop with a machete after he allegedly tried to attack him first.

Kevin's torso was later found wrapped in a bin outside Collins' flat in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

The 32 year-old's head, arms and legs have never been recovered.

Collins told jurors he feels “sick” Kevin died and that he got rid of his remains.

He is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow charged with murder.

Collins claims he was acting in self-defence.

The dad today/yesterday said he was awoken by Kevin being in his flat last July shouting at him.

The pair were known to each other.

Collins claimed Kevin was clutching a lock-back knife and was threatening to “take his f*g eye out” with it.

Collins went on: “I pulled out a machete from under my pillow. I swung it towards Kevin.

“It was to scare him...to get him away from me.”

Collins said the weapon struck Kevin in the neck.

He claimed getting a towel to stem bleeding – but told jurors Kevin was dead by time he returned.

His QC John Scullion asked: “Did you dismember Kevin Bishop's body?'

Collins: “Yes – in the bathroom.”

Mr Scullion: “What did you do with the body parts?”

He replied: “Put them out in the bin.”

Mr Scullion also asked Collins how he now felt after what happened.

Collins: “Sick – I cannot get it out of my head.”

He said on closing his eyes he sees “waterfalls” involving “body parts”.

Collins later told prosecutor Gillian Ross it had taken around five minutes to chop off Kevin's head and about an hour to remove the limbs.

She put to him: “There was nothing to stop you phoning the police to say you had been the victim of an attack and that you had no option, but to kill.”

Collins: “I did not think they would believe me.”

The trial, before Lady Rae, continues.