Neighbour ran to Fife pensioner's flat after "hearing bangs", murder trial told
The trial at the High Court in Edinburgh continues.
A neighbour has told a court how huge bangs'' on the floor above prompted her to run to the flat where Fife pensioner Mary Logie was allegedly beaten to death with a rolling pin.
The witness said she heard a sound like someone hammering'' to get her attention.
She told jurors murder-accused Sandra Weir opened the door of the flat to her, was crying and said the pensioner had fallen, leaving blood everywhere''.
The incident happened hours after the neighbour heard a loud bang and the sound of a woman saying ouch'', the court was told.
Mrs Logie, 82, was pronounced dead at her home in Leven, Fife, on January 5 this year.
Weir, 41, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, where she denies murder and has lodged a special defence of alibi.
She is accused of killing the pensioner by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a rolling pin or similar instrument.
Neighbour Gwen Smith, 64, told day three of the trial that she lived below Mrs Logie's flat and would see her quite regularly.
The witness said she was in her own flat on the morning of January 5 when she heard a noise. I heard a banging on the floor and a woman going 'ouch','' she told the court, later describing the sound asloud'' and heavy''.
It was just a big thump and then there was the 'ouch','' Ms Smith said, adding that she thought a pregnant woman next door had gone into labour.
She agreed with prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that there was absolute silence'' from Mrs Logie's flat until later on that evening.
The witness told how she was watching soaps on television at about 8pm after having tea with her son and daughter when she heard another noise.
I heard huge bangs on the floor ... somebody hammering on the floor to draw my attention,'' she said. She said she phoned up to Mrs Logie's flat and then ran upstairs when she got no answer.
Ms Smith said Weir was inside the flat and answered the door to her.
She said to me 'she's fell and there's blood everywhere','' the witness told jurors.
The witness added that she then saw Mrs Logie lying on the living room floor and could see a rolling pin on the couch.
I think it was quite obvious what had happened to her,'' she told the court, adding that she then shouted on her son to call for an ambulance.
She said Weir was crying and later described her as having tears in her eyes''.