Woman in court charged with murder of Annalise Johnstone
The 22-year-old's body was discovered on the B8062 road between Auchterader and Dunning in Perthshire in May
Last updated 7th Sep 2018
A 28-year-old woman has appeared in court accused of murdering Annalise Johnstone by at a notorious Perthshire witch's monument.
Angela Newlands is alleged to have murdered the 22-year-old in the shadow of Maggie Wall's Memorial near Dunning on 9 or 10 May this year.
Newlands, from Inchture, appeared in private at Perth Sheriff Court to face a murder petition.
She is alleged to have assaulted Miss Johnstone, from Ayrshire, by repeatedly striking her on the neck with a sharp implement.
It is alleged she murdered her by the memorial next to the B8062 road between Auchterarder and Dunning.
Newlands, who is the second person to face a murder charge in connection with Miss Johnstone's death, made no plea and was granted bail with a curfew condition by Sheriff William Wood.
The case was continued for further examination and the Crown intimated their intention to appeal against the granting of bail.
24-year-old Jordan Johnstone has already been fully committed for trial in connection with an identical charge relating to the murder of his sister Annalise.
Johnstone, c/o Perth Prison, made a second appearance in private at Perth Sheriff Court on 1 June and made no motion for bail and was remanded in custody.
The petition against him alleged that he repeatedly struck his sister in the neck with a sharp implement at the witch's monument.
Johnstone, who had been living in Perthshire, also faced a second charge alleging he had stolen a caravan in Irvine, Ayrshire, on 9 May.
His court appearance came after a major fortnight-long police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Miss Johnstone's body.
The body of Annalise, from Ardrossan in Ayrshire, was discovered on the B8062 Auchterarder to Dunning road on Thursday 10 May.
Annalise's father, Gordon Johnstone, said: "I'll never get over this.
"I'll never get over not seeing and talking to Annalise again. I can't believe I'll never get her back.
"It's like my candle has been burnt out, I'm an empty shell," the father-of-six said.
"I know I have my family around me, but I feel empty. We'll never be the same again."
The monument - which is shrouded in mystery - purportedly represents a woman who was killed as a witch, but no record of her actually exists.