Restauranteur Murder trial told of betting shops concern over £900 stake

A former betting shop worker has told a murder trial of her boss's concerns that there wasn't enough cash in the premises to cover bets made by an Asian man.

Heather Picken told a jury on Friday that she worked at a branch of William Hills in Edinburgh when a punter walked in one day in October 1978 and staked £900 on a series of losing bets.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mrs Picken said that the sum was a lot for the late 1970s and that only a small number of gamblers spent such large amounts of money.

She said the man who made the bets was Asian and didn't look like the type of man who would usually visit betting shops.

Mrs Picken told jurors that her boss was concerned about the amount of money being put on bets by the male, who was tall, slim and had "quite a lot of hair."

She said: "I remember my boss worrying about what he would do if the bets won. He was concerned whether he would have enough money to pay him out."

Mrs Picken was giving evidence against 63-year-old Riasat Khan, who is accused of murdering restaurant owner Kazi Ahmad,41, at a house in Aberdeen in October 1978.

Mr Khan, denies murder. His lawyers have lodged a special defence that states Mr Khan acted in self defence after the deceased had first attacked him.

The court heard how the branch of William Hills was located at 19 West Maitland Street - approximately 75 yards from Edinburgh's Haymarket station.

On Friday, Mrs Picken told prosecution lawyer Jane Farquharson that she was working on the afternoon of Friday October 13 1978 when an Asian man walked into the shop.

Mrs Picken said the man was carrying a black bin liner when he entered the premises.

She told the court how the man used £100 notes to place the bets. Mrs Picken said this was "unusual".

She added: "We never took in big bets that often. We never saw £100 notes that often."

Mrs Picken said she thought the man placed bets on greyhound racing.

She added: "The shop was quite empty. It's hard to put into words. But he didn't strike me as being the usual type of person that would come into a betting shop.

She said she could remember what the man who placed the bets looked like.

Mrs Picken added: "He was Asian. He was very tall. He was very slim and had quite a lot of hair. I don't remember whether he had a beard or a moustache."

Forensic pathologist James Grieve,63, told the court that Mr Ahmad was 41 at the time of his death.

Professor Grieve also told the court that Mr Ahmad died from a total of seven stab wounds.

The medic said that Mr Ahmad had been stabbed four times in the chest and three times in the neck.

Prosecutors claim that on October 12 or 13 1978, in the flat on Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, Mr Khan assaulted Mr Ahmad and tied his wrists behind his back.

Mr Khan then allegedly covered Mr Ahmad's head with an "item of clothing" and then struck him repeatedly on the neck and body with a knife. Mr Khan is said to have murdered him and robbed him of a sum of money.

Mr Khan, of Cardiff, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His advocate Gary Allan QC has lodged a special defence on his client's behalf.

Prosecutors closed their case against Mr Khan on Friday afternoon.

Advocate depute Jane Farquharson told judge Lord Beckett that she was withdrawing the charge which alleged that Mr Khan stole a knife from the Raj Dulal restaurant in Dee Street, Aberdeen, on October 12 or 13 1978.

Lord Beckett then formally acquitted Mr Khan of the charge.

Ms Farquharson also withdrew allegations from the murder charge.

The prosecution lawyer said she wanted to delete allegations that Mr Khan tied Mr Ahmad's wrists behind his back and then covered his head with an item of clothing.

The trial, which is being heard before judge Lord Beckett, continues.