Murder Accused Phone Detected Near Scene

A mobile phone thought to belong to the man accused of murdering Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll was at the scene of the shooting seconds before, a court heard Thursday.

The High Court in Glasgow heard from Dominic Kirsten a cell site analysis engineer who was asked by the police to examine a number of mobile phones.

He said that two of the numbers he was asked to look at were attributed by police to murder accused William Paterson two to former accused Ross Monaghan.

Mr Kirsten said that at 1.23pm on the day of the crime, a phone thought to belong to Paterson, ending in 1411 was "consistent" with "being located at or in the scene of the crime in the Asda carpark".

He told the court that examining phone information and surrounding cell masts, the phone believed to be Paterson's could have been in the vicinity of where the guns were found.

It is claimed - while masked and acting with others - Paterson repeatedly discharged loaded handguns at 29 year-old Carroll shooting him on the head and body on January 13, 2010.

Paterson is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

In evidence Mr Kirsten told the court that using information from network providers of the phone he was able to say which areas the phones were consistent with being in at various times.

He claimed that on the day of the shooting, a phone - believed by police to be Paterson's - "was consistent" with leaving Cumbernauld and travelling to the Robroyston area.

The expert witness added: "The cell used at 1.23pm is consistent with the 1411 mobile being located at or in the scene of the crime in the Asda car park.

"This was when an incoming call was not answered and was forwarded probably to voicemail."

The court heard from the prosecutor that if there had been no call at that time "we would not have had an opportunity to have that bit of information about where that phone 1411 was seconds before the shooting".

Mr Kirsten responded: "That's correct."

He told the jury he measured the cell radius and that it "is not a cell that provides extensive coverage".

The court heard that using the cell site analysis the same number was "consistent" with having left the Asda car park and travelling to Coatbridge.

Mr McSporran confirmed with the witness that between 1.27pm and approximately 1.42pm his findings were "consistent" with the 1411 phone leaving Asda car park and travelling to Coatbridge.

The court also heard that between 1.42pm and 1.50pm the mobile used masts "consistent" with being "located at or in the vicinity of the place where the guns were found".

Mr Kirsten said: "That's correct."

The jury heard that the number ending 1411 was in contact with another number ending in 1374 and there was contact during the journey.

Mr Kirsten said the numbers were in contact and the analysis showed it was "consistent" with the 1374 number leaving the Cumbernauld area and travelling to Coatbridge at the same sort of time.

He added that according to his findings, the number ending 1374 was also "consistent" with being in the area of where the guns were at 1.50pm.

The court heard that the cell analysis showed that both numbers were both in the vicinity of Cumbernauld just before 2.10pm that day, although a text message sent indicated they may not have been together at the time.

Paterson denies the charges and has incriminated six other people.

He has lodged a special defence of alibi claiming he was at an address in Cumbernauld at the time of the shooting.

The trial before judge Lord Armstrong continues.