Steven Donaldson ex-partner accused of his murder was "scared" of him, court hears

A man accused of the murder of Steven Donaldson looked "shocked" when his alleged accomplice asked him to 'deal' with the money issues she had with him.

Claire Ogston, 21, told a jury on Friday how Steven Dickie, 24, reacted when Tasmin Glass, 20, spoke to him about financial issues she was having with her partner.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Miss Glass was "worried" about not being able to pay a sum of money back to Steven Donaldson, 27.

Miss Ogston said Miss Glass said she was a "wee bit scared" of Mr Donaldson and what he'd do if she didn't repay him.

The court had earlier heard that Mr Donaldson, of Arbroath, Angus had bought Miss Glass a car which she wrote off.

The jury also heard that Miss Glass was due to repay Mr Donaldson a sum of money for the vehicle.

But on the evening of June 6 2018, Miss Glass told Mr Dickie and Callum Davidson, 24, that she needed help dealing with Mr Donaldson.

Miss Ogston, who has had a baby with Mr Davidson, said she was there when Miss Glass made the request.

Miss Ogston said: "She got herself a bit worked up and asked Steven if he could deal with it.

"Steven Dickie didn't respond. He looked a wee bit shocked."

Miss Ogston, of Kirriemuir, Angus, was giving evidence on the fifth day of proceedings against Mr Dickie, Mr Davidson and Miss Glass.

The trio - who all come from the Kirriemuir area - deny murdering Mr Donaldson in the town between June 6 and June 7 2018.

On Friday, Miss Ogston told prosecution lawyer Ashley Edwards QC that she spent the evening of June 6 2018 with the three accused.

Miss Ogston said that Miss Glass was "anxious" and a "little bit agitated" about having to pay back Mr Donaldson.

She added: "She was quite scared of him and what would happen if she couldn't pay him back."

Miss Ogston said that during the evening, Miss Glass spoke to Mr Donaldson on the telephone. She said she could hear the pair speaking to each other.

Miss Ogston said: "She was quite angry. She hung up the phone. She said it was Steven Donaldson on the phone. He was shouting at her and he was quite angry about where the money was."

Miss Ogston said that during the evening Callum Davidson then went to his uncle's house and came out with a baseball bat.

Later in the evening Miss Glass said she was going to meet Steven Donaldson and asked Mr Dickie if he "could deal with it".

The court heard that later in the evening, Miss Ogston returned home to go to bed. She left Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson.

She was awoken in the early hours of the following morning when Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson returned to the property.

Miss Ogston said that Mr Davidson appeared to be quite worried and jittery. He was only wearing underpants and he tried to tell her something about going up a hill to "meet the boy".

She said that she stopped him and didn't want to hear anything more.

She added "I shut him down. I said I don't want to know about it."

She also said that Mr Davidson had a small scratch on his nose.

She added: "At that point, I thought he maybe beat Steven up."

The court heard that Mr Dickie was having a shower in her property. She said that when he finished with the shower, he looked 'stern, grey and quiet'.

She said that Mr Dickie also tried to tell her about what had happened but she also "shut him down".

But Miss Ogston said that Mr Dickie told her what happened. He said he and Mr Davidson were present.

She added: "They had gone up the hill to meet that boy - him and Tasmin were having an argument and it got quite heated and that is when they intervened."

She also said that Mr Dickie told her more about the alleged assault.

She added: "Steven Donaldson had tried to get away from him and that's when he hit him with the baseball bat and it broke so they threw it away."

Miss Ogston said Mr Dickie was "quite agitated" and couldn't really stay still.

She said that later in the evening, Mr Dickie went into his jacket pocket and produced a small vegetable knife which belonged to her.

She said it was slightly bent and he placed it on her kitchen worktop.

Miss Ogston added: "I was quite scared at that point and I didn't want to say anything to him."

She said that Callum Davidson had left the house at this point to look for the broken bits of the baseball bat.

But she said he returned to the house because he couldn't find any of the pieces.

Miss Ogston said that the following morning she went to work and checked her Facebook thread. She saw a story about a body being found in Kirriemuir and sent the link to both Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson.

She said that later in the day, she and Mr Davidson and Mr Dickie agreed to tell the same story to the police if they were asked any questions about the discovery of the body. They spent that evening in a pub.

She said: "We would say we had been swimming, came back and the boys went to get beer."

The court heard the police spoke to her on a number of occasions and she told them the swimming story.

But she changed her story and told detectives the version which she gave in court.

When asked by Ms Edwards why she changed her mind.

Miss Ogston replied: "It all got a bit too much so I told them all that I know.

"I was scared about what was going to happen to me - if there would be a backlash against me and that would affect me walking about the streets of Kirriemuir."

The court heard that Miss Glass, Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson were then detained by police. Mr Davidson was remanded in custody.

Miss Ogston also said that she has had a little girl and currently lives with Callum's parents.

Prosecutors claim that between June 6 2018 and June 7 2018, Mr Dickie, Mr Davidson and Ms Glass, arranged to meet Mr Donaldson at the Peter Pan play park in Kirriemuir and assaulted him there by repeatedly striking him with "unknown instruments".

It's alleged that Mr Donaldson was then "incapacitated" - the trio are then alleged to have taken him to the nearby Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve park.

Once at the park, the Crown claims that Mr Donaldson was struck on the head and body with a knife, baseball bat or similar instruments.

The trio are then alleged to have struck Mr Donaldson on the head and neck with an "unknown heavy bladed instrument".

They are then alleged to have set fire to Mr Donaldson and to his car.

Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson also face a number of other charges including assaults and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

The trio have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues.