Police inquiry found no trace of missing Margaret Fleming, court told

A major police inquiry into the disappearance of Margaret Fleming found no trace of her, a murder trial was told.

Detective Sergeant Karen Boyd said that the 13-month long investigation by the major investigation team found no evidence that Margaret is alive.

DS Boyd was giving evidence at the trial of 77 year-old Edward Cairney and 58 year-old Avril Jones who deny murdering Margaret Fleming 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.

Cairney and Jones claim that Margaret is alive. They say she fled when police came to speak to her, and allege that she has returned from time to time to collect her benefits money.

DS Boyd told prosecutor Iain McSporran QC that the last confirmed sighting of Margaret, who would now be 38, was at Jones' brother Richard's home in Inverkip , Inverclyde, on December 17, 1999.

The jury has heard that after Margaret's father died in October 1995, her mother could not cope and Cairney and Jones looked after her in their home from November 1997.

In her evidence DS Boyd said that she co-ordinated a proof of life inquiry into Margaret.

This involved her and a team contacting 244 NHS trusts, 51 police forces, 419 local authorities, 42 utility companies and 386 women's aid organisations.

They also got in touch with banks.

Mr MSsporran asked DS Boyd: “Have you been involved in a proof of life case before,” and she replied: “Yes, the deceased in that case was Lynda Spence.”

The jury heard that DS Boyd was involved in investigating Lynda Spence's disappearance. Her body was never found.

DS Boyd was asked if Margaret Fleming had applied for credit or a bank account and replied: “There is no evidence of Margaret Fleming applying for any credit or a bank account.

“There is no trace of Margaret Fleming holding a bank account. To sustain living in today's society it would be difficult to manage without banking in whatever form.”

Efforts were made to trace all women in the UK with the name Margaret Fleming.

DS Boyd said: “We were left with three women that we weren't able to trace or contact.”

She added: 'There have been no confirmed sightings of Margaret Fleming since December 1999.”

The police officer was asked by Mr McSporran: “”What was the object of your inquiry,” and she said: “To find Margaret Fleming.”

The prosecutor then said: 'Did you find any evidence of her being alive,” and she replied: “No.”

Defence QC Thomas Ross, defending Cairney, asked DS Boyd: “Was it not the case that 23 potential sightings ofMargaret Fleming were submitted to the police,” and she said: “Yes.”

Mr Ross said: “Margaret Fleming could have changed her name and then all the search inquiries would be negative. You wouldn't expect that person to show up because people making the checks would be looking for the name Margaret Spence,” and the witness replied: “Yes.”

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.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.