Murder Accused Blames Two Friends For Stab Death

A MURDER accused denied knifing bank worker Isabelle Sanders to death in her own home. But, in evidence Paul McManus, 20, from Glasgow, admitted stabbing her 86-year-old partner Norman Busby. He told the High Court in Glasgow that he went to 51-year-old Isabelle's house at 77 Raeswood Drive, Crookston, with two friends Christopher O'Reilly and Ross Arthurs. McManus, who denies murdering Miss Sanders on April 9, told defence QC Gordon Jackson that they were looking for things to steal and saw the light on in the house. He said: "We were trying all sorts of doors. The plan was to threaten the person and steal their motor keys of them." Mr Jackson said: "How were you going to threaten them," and he replied: "With a knife, but I wasn't going to stab nobody. Just to threaten." McManus said that he knocked the back door and added: "The guy comes to the door. I opened the door and showed him the knives.and forced him into the living room. I said: 'Get the car keys.'" He then claimed that Miss Sanders came down the stairs and added: "I was obviously shouting, threatening him. He grabbed my left arm and the knife went into my hand. That's when the woman came down the stairs and I just panicked and stabbed him. McManus told the jury that Mr Arthurs and Mr O'Reilly came into the kitchen and he told them to stop Miss Sanders leaving or phoning the police. He then said went upstairs with Mr Busby to search for his car keys. Mr Jackson said: "What happened then," and McManus replied: "I heard something. A struggle or something. I went down and Isabelle was lying down. They said she tried to get away and said they flung the phone away." The QC asked: "When you left to go upstairs was Miss Sanders injured," and McManus said: "No, she was just in a state of panic." Mr Jackson then said: "When you came back down had she been stabbed, was she on the ground had she obviously been stabbed," and he replied: "Aye." The QC asked: "You were upstairs with Mr Busby when Miss Sanders got stabbed," and he replied: "Yes, I didn't touch her at all." Mr Jackson then stated: "Not a stab, not a wound," and McManus said: "No." McManus has incriminated Mr Arthurs and Mc O'Reilly, but both men deny being at 77 Raeswood Drive that night. The court has heard that miss Sanders was stabbed 37 times. While giving evidence box McManus admitted that he robbed and stabbed Ching Long Law in Nitshill Road, Glasgow, on April 2, stole three bottle of alcohol from the Day to Day Store in Glasgow Road, Barrhead on April 8 and stabbed and attempted to steal a car from Daniel O'Donnell at the Spar Shop in Barrhead Road, Glasgow, on April 8. Mr Jackson told McManus: "Arthurs says he wasn't there at all, is he telling a pack of lies," and he responded: "I wouldn't tell the truth either." The QC then said to McManus: "You position is that whoever stabbed Miss Sanders it wasn't you," and he said: "No, it wasn't me." McManus claimed in evidence that he and his two friends had singled out number 77 Raeswood in what he described as "the posh estate" because there were lights on. Under cross-examination by advocate depute Bruce Erroch, prosecuting, McManus was asked: "What happened is that Miss Sanders bravely tried to stop you attacking her elderly partner and you turned the knives on her," and replied: "no." Mr Erroch then said: "That's just nonsense you stabbed her 37 times. You stabbed her in the back as she tried to get away," and McManus replied: "That's not true." The prosecutor added: "It's so horrific even you can't accept responsibility for it," and the accused again said: "That's not true." The court has heard that a pair of jogging trousers and a tracksuit top belonging to McManus had the DNA of Miss Sanders on them. In evidence McManus admitted they were his, but claimed that that night they were worn by Mr Arthurs. McManus was asked why he never told the police about Mr Arthurs and Mr O'Reilly allegedly being with him and replied: "I didn't tell the police. I wouldn't have told nobody if they hadn't said it was me." The trial before judge Lord Armstrong continues.