Woman accused of Steven Donaldson murder owed him £3,000, court hears

A man who was allegedly murdered by his ex girlfriend wanted her to repay him £3,000 of "his money" after the pair had split, a court has heard.

Paige Jolly, 19, said that her friend Tasmin Glass, 20, told her that Steven Donaldson, 27, wanted the cash a short time before his death in June 2018.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Miss Jolly say that Miss Glass told her that her mum was going to give her former boyfriend the cash because she didn't want to meet him.

Miss Jolly, a friend of Miss Glass's, said: "She said it was something to do about three grand of his money. He said he was wanting the money back and her mum was going to do it.

"She said she was going to transfer it into her mum's account so she could give it to him. It was so she didn't have to meet him."

Miss Jolly, of Kirriemuir, Angus, was giving evidence on the third day of proceedings against Ms Glass, Steven Dickie, 24, and Callum Davidson, also 24.

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

On Wednesday, Miss Jolly told prosecution lawyer Ashley Edwards QC that her conversation with Miss Glass took place sometime between March to April last year.

The court heard that the couple had earlier split.

When Ms Edwards asked Miss Jolly how her friend was when they were speaking to each other, the witness replied: "She was fine. She just acted like her normal self."

Miss Jolly also told the jury that she had been in a short relationship with Miss Glass's co-accused Steven Dickie.

She said that she got to know Callum Davidson, Mr Dickie and Miss Glass's co-accused, during that time.

The court heard that before going out with Mr Dickie, she had a relationship with a man called Philip Coventry.

She said that she broke up with Mr Coventry and they didn't keep on good terms with each other.

She told Ms Edwards that Callum Davidson spoke to her about what was going on.

Miss Jolly said: "He said that if I gave him £400, he'd sort Philip out."

When Ms Edwards asked the witness, who made the offer, Miss Jolly replied: "Callum."

The prosecution lawyer asked Miss Jolly how she felt about Mr Davidson's offer, she replied: "I was just shocked."

The court also heard that Miss Glass was the singer in a band which regularly performed in Glasgow and Dundee.

Prosecutors claim that between June 6 2018 and June 7 2018, Mr Dickie, Mr Davidson and Miss 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 Mr Donaldson to Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve car park.

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

The trio 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.

One charge alleges that between February and May 2017, at Main Street, Lochore, Fife, they put a kitten in a bag and swung the bag and punched and kicked the kitten.

Prosecutors say the kitten belonged to a woman called Demi Young.

The trio have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues.