Pair go on trial accused of murdering Inverkip woman who hasn't been seen for 18 years
Margaret Fleming was reported missing in October 2016 - but there are claims she hasn't been seen since December 1999
A man and a woman are on trial accused of murdering a woman who has allegedly not been seen for more than 18 years. Edward Cairney, 76, and Avril Jones, 58, deny murdering Margaret Fleming who was reported missing in October 2016 from the home they shared at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, Renfrewshire.
She has allegedly not been seen since December 1999.
Prosecutors allege that the pair assaulted Margaret Fleming between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000, when she was 19, by means unknown and murdered her.
Judge Lord Matthews told jurors at the High Court in Glasgow that the trial is expected to last eight weeks.
Lord Matthews said to them: “You must not search the internet about this case.”
Cairney who is in a wheelchair is sitting in front of the dock. His co-accused Jones is sitting in the dock flanked by G4S officers.
The pair are charged with abducting and murdering Miss Fleming and claiming £182,000 in benefits by fraud by pretending that she was alive.
It is alleged that Cairney and Jones abducted Miss Fleming at her home at Seacroft, Inverkip, locked her in a room, assaulted her, cut her hair and bound her arms and wrists with tape on various occasions between November 1 ,1997 and January 5, 2000.
The pair are also accused of between 18 December, 1999 and October 2016 they pretended to Department of Work and Pensions officials that miss Fleming was alive and claimed benefits for her and obtained £182,000 by fraud.
The pair also face two charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by boarding a train to London on October 25, last year, with £3,500 in cash and keys to a safe deposit box which contained £27,000 and by pretending to social workers police, and officials from the Department of Works and Pensions that she was alive.
They deny all the charges against them.
Cairney is also accused of assaulting Margaret Cruikshanks on November 26, 1997, at Seacroft by pushing her against furniture, knocking her to the ground, placing his hands round her neck, compressing her throat, threatening her with violence and repeatedly spitting on her face.
The trial continues.