Murder accused being used as 'scapegoat' in Surjit Singh Chhokar trial
Murder accused Ronnie Coulter is being set up as 'a scapegoat' for the murder of a restaurant worker almost 18 years ago, his defence QC told a jury.
Murder accused Ronnie Coulter is being set up as 'a scapegoat' for the murder of a restaurant worker almost 18 years ago, his defence QC told a jury.
Donald Findlay QC told jurors: “There is no justice if the wrong man is convicted and the man who did it is allowed to remain free.”
Mr Findlay was giving his closing speech in the trial of Ronnie Coulter, 48, from Wishaw, who denies murdering Surjit Singh Chhokar – known by everyone as Chhokar - in Garrion Street, Overtown, North Lanarkshire on November 4, 1998 by stabbing him.
Coulter has lodged a special defence to the murder charge blaming his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery.
Mr Findlay told the jurors: “People have rallied around Andrew Coulter and have lied at various stage, they have lied in this court, they have lied before you. They are trying to move the blame as much as they can onto Ronnie Coulter. They have their own agenda. Making Ronnie the killer at the expense of the real killer.
“Andrew Coulter killed Surjit Singh Chhokar. Ronnie Coulter didn't kill him. You should acquit Ronnie Coulter.”
The QC described Andrew Coulter, who is a convicted killer, as "a young man who had a prediliction for carrying knives. We say he carried a knife that night, as he did when he killed Patrick Kelly."
Mr Findlay told the jury that Ronnie Coulter was prosecuted for the murder in 1999 and acquitted and was now being prosecuted again based on what he described as “wicked, self-serving and downright evil evidence.”
He added: “It may be an attempt to bring closure to the Chhokar family. We never bring closure in these courts. You can't bring someone back to life, you can't take away the grief. It's not about closure, it's about justice.”
As this was said several members of the Chhokar family, who had ben sitting in the public gallery of the court, got up and left.
Both Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery gave in evidence during the trial and denied stabbing Chhokar to death.
Earlier in his speech Mr Findlay accused many of the Crown witnesses of “lying.” and Ronnie Coulter's sister Margaret Chisholm and Noreen McPolland had lied in a most evil and despicable way.”
He also accused other witnesses of making up lies against Ronnie Coulter.
Mr Findlay said: “It is all very well for the Crown to say if they were going to invent something they would make a better job of it. “
He added: “In the background there was this conspiracy that Ronnie was to be the scapegoat. There are examples of people making things up.”
In his closing speech to the jury judge Lord Mathews told the jurors to put aside all emotion when they finally retire to consider their verdict.
He told the jury: “You must consider the evidence coldly and dispassionately.”
The judge added: “In order to convict Ronnie Coulter you must be convinced he used a knife and stabbed the deceased.”
Lord Matthews will complete his charge to the jury on Monday.