Man Charged With Murder After Alleged Incident at Falkirk House

A man has appeared in court charged with abducting and raping two women and murdering a third in an alleged incident in Falkirk in the early hours of Friday morning. The body of the woman who died was found in a bedroom of a house in the town's Springfield Drive at 12.30 am that day. Steven Raymond Mathieson, 38, is alleged to have carried out the crimes at his home in Springfield Drive. Mathieson made neither plea nor declaration at a brief private hearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court. He was represented by defence agent John Mulholland. Depute fiscal Naomi Walker appeared for the Crown. A Crown Office spokesman said he faced one charge of murder, two of abduction, and two of contravening Section 1 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 -- which is rape. Sheriff William Gallacher committed him for further examination, and remanded him in custody. He is expected to appear in court again on December 16th.