Man accused of murdering Jessica McGraa goes on trial

A man has gone on trial accused of raping and murdering an escort at a city centre apartment.

Bala Chinda allegedly assaulted Jessica McGraa, forced her on to a bed, held her down and raped her at a property on Union Terrace in Aberdeen.

The 26-year-old is also claimed to have inflicted blunt force trauma to her head and compressed her neck, forcing her face into a pillow and asphyxiated her on February 11 last year.

Prosecutors have also claimed that Chinda stole a key from Miss McGraa and two of her mobile phones. He is said to have disposed of his own phone in a bid to destroy evidence in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.

Chinda denies the offences and went on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen yesterday.

Giving evidence, Patrick Dignam, of Belfast, said he had been dating Miss McGraa since meeting her in a hotel bar in Northern Ireland in November 2015.

The 21-year-old said Miss McGraa had told him she owned a hair extension shop in London and would meet up with her when she travelled back to Belfast every month.

The student said he was aware that she was in regular contact with her mother who cared for her young son when she was away from home.

Advocate depute Paul Kearney, prosecuting, asked: "Did you consider yourself her boyfriend?"

He replied: "Not really. I didn't like getting too close to people."

Mr Kearney asked: "Were you fond of her?"

He replied: "I liked her, yes."

Mr Dignam told the court that Miss McGraa had phoned him at about 12pm on the day she was allegedly murdered at the flat in Aberdeen.

He said: "She was with another fella. I was just awake and I was sort of annoyed and after 20 to 30 seconds I hung up, just because I was annoyed with the fact she was with someone else."

Mr Kearney asked: "Did she say where he was from?"

He replied: "She said something like 'home', like he was from Nigeria or wherever she was from."

Mr Kearney asked: "Could you hear someone else with her?"

He replied: "There was some sort of noise but it could have been a pet, it could have been anything."

Mr Dignam told the court that he text Miss McGraa and told her not to ring him back because he was upset.

But he became worried when she did not contact him again and called one of her friends the following day to find out the name of the apartment she was staying in.

Mr Dignam said he spoke to a receptionist at the apartment and was later contacted by the police who informed him that Miss McGraa was dead and had been working as an escort.

The jury heard that the mother-of-one's body was found in one of the bedrooms partially clothed. She was wearing a top and a jacket and was naked from the waist down with a pair of jeans and a lace corset lying on the bed.

Police photographs were taken of potential stains on the duvet cover and pillow case and possible streaks of blood on her nose and cheek.

Defence counsel Ian Duguid QC asked Mr Dignam whether Miss McGraa had mentioned a woman also being with her at the time of the call on February 11 last year.

Mr Dignam said: "She said she was with another lady. I think she was called Isobel but I thought it was lies because I had never heard of her before."

The student said he was under the impression that the escort was with with a male and that he wouldn't leave.

He said: "There was somebody there with her and he wouldn't go.

Mr Duguid asked: "And was she saying that someone wouldn't leave or is that something you picked up from her tone of voice?"

He replied: "To be honest with you, I can't remember.

"I think she was a bit, not distressed, but... I don't know."

The trial continues and is expected to last 10 days.

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