Murder accused claims police scared missing woman away

Murder accused Edward Cairney claimed that he and missing Margaret Fleming went to Wemyss Bay to buy a Mars Bar the day police came looking for her.

He alleges that Margaret fled around 5.30pm on October 28, 2016, when they returned and she saw flashing blue light outside their home at Seacroft, Inverkip.

77 year-old Cairney and 58 year-old Avril Jones deny murdering Margaret Fleming at their home in Inverkip between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000.

The High Court in Glasgow has heard a major police investigation was sparked on October 28, 2016, after a benefits claim submitted by Jones on Margaret's behalf raised concerns about her well-being.

Margaret, who would now be 38, has allegedly not been seen for more than 19 years.

After Margaret's father died in October 1995, her mother could not cope and Cairney and Jones looked after her.

Yesterday (Tues) Sergeant Alison Jarvie, who co-ordinated the collection of CCTV images

told prosecutor Iain McSporran QC that footage from Bay Newsagents, a butchers, the ferry terminal and train station in Wemyss Bay and Sainsburys in Inverkip.

She said that the images were viewed to see if Margaret or Cairney could be identified and replied: “At no point was there any person who matched the description of Margaret Fleming. We were also unable to identify Edward Cairney.”

The jury heard that Cairney told police that he and Margaret had gone by bus to Wemysss Bay because she wanted to buy a Mars Bar.

Footage from buses going from Shore Road to Wemyss Bay was also examined and there was no sign of the two.

Detective Constable James Mitchell told the court that CCTV footage from five buses was examined and nothing was found.

He was asked by defence QC Thomas Ross, representing Cairney: “You claim that the footage covers from 12.40pm to 5.20pm is that correct,” and the officer replied: “Yes.”

The detective was then taken through all the footage seized and then admitted it did not cover the entire period.

The court also heard that there were two other buses on the route which did not have CCTV cameras on board.

DC Mitchell was asked if footage of the return journey was seized and replied: “No.”

Cairney and Jones are accused of defrauding £182,000 in benefits and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by claiming Margaret was alive.

They deny all the charges against them.

Witness 28 year-old Jody Davis who worked at Bay Newsagents in Wemyss Bay, told the murder trial that police asked her on November 2, 2016, if she had seen Margaret or Cairney in the shop on October 28, 2016.

She said that she had not.

Miss Davis was asked by prosecutor Iain McSporran QC what description she had been given of Margaret and replied: “Dressed in a chequered shirt, 5ft 10 and in her thirties.”

She was then asked: “Do you remember serving someone like that,” and replied: “No.”

The trial continues.