Murder accused was covered in blood - according to detective

A detective told a trial that a murder accused was heavily bloodstained. DC Gary Harrison was giving evidence at the trial of Muhammed Rauf, 42, Shahida Abid, 33, and Saima Hayat, 33, who deny murdering 49-year-old Haider Hayat by striking him on the head and body with a hammer and a knife, on April 3, last year, at a flat in Raithburn Road, Castlemilk, Glasgow,

They also deny attempting to defeat the ends of justice by washing bloodstained clothing and concocting a false story.

The policeman told the High Court in Glasgow that he was informed there wasa major incident in Raithburn Road and arrived there around 6.30am.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard QC asked DC Harrison: “Did you see Muhammed Rauf,” and he replied: “Yes. He was in the flat and was brought out to the common close landing.”

The detective told the jury that he did not enter the flat because he did not want to compromise a live crime scene.

He said Rauf , who was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, was led out by uniformed officers.

DC Harrison added: “He was heavily bloodstained and had blood spatter in his arms. I arrested him on suspicion of murder at 6.39am on April 3, last year.”

Mr Goddard asked: “Did he say anything when he was charged,” and the officer replied: “He said: 'No comment. I will speak to my lawyer.'”

Earlier Constable Derek Niven told the court that he briefly spoke to Hayat at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow where she had been taken along with a number of children.

They were ferried there in ambulances after a 999 call was made from the house. When police arrived they found Mr Hayat dead.

PC Niven said that at the hospital Saima Hayat was hysterical.

Mr Goddard said: “You asked Saima Hayat what had happened and she said her ex-husband, two men and a woman had told her to tie up the children and her friend Shahida Abid or he would kill the kids. She said he tied her up afterwards. She also said she had been injected by him, is that correct,” and Constable Niven replied: “Yes.”

He added: “I only stayed a few minutes. She was hysterical. She continually asked about the kids. I asked her to clarify and she said: ' He injected me. I'm hazy.'”

Later in the same trial, a paramedic told a jury that alleged murder victim Haider Hayat had parts of his skull missing.

Angela Kay told the High Court in Glasgow that she arrived at the Castlemilk flat around 5am on April 3, last year, and was asked by police to examine Mr Hayat, who was in a bedroom.

She said that Mr Hayat was lying on his back on the floor of one of the bedrooms.

Ms Kay was asked by prosecutor Richard Goddard QC what injuries he had and replied: “There was a severe head injury to the right side of his head. A massive head injury. His skull did not look intact.”

Mr Goddard then said: “Were parts of his skull missing,” and the witness said: “Yes.”

She added: “I checked to see if there was breathing, but his colour indicated he had not been breathing for some time. Police told me not to touch his body, but I observed him for 10 to 15 seconds. His condition wasn't compatible with life.”

The court was told she pronounced Mr Hayat dead at 5.09am.

Constable Gary Hutchison told the court that he spoke to murder accused Abid in hospital on April 3. last year.

He said: “She stated she was at the address with her friend who had fled from domestic abuse in England.”

The officer told the jury that Abid claimed that Mr Hayat and an unknown man and woman forced entry to the flat and tied up and injected her and co-accused Hayat and put a rag with chemicals over the mouths of the eight children who were there.”

Constable Hutchison added: “Miss Abid said her husband had arrived to collect her and there had been an altercation between him and an unknown person in another room. Her husband then returned and untied her and she contacted the police. She was quite upset and shaking at this point.”

The trial before judge Lady Rae continues.