Gang of five on trial for murder of man ‘who asked to play on trampoline with children’


By
Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 7:07 PM on 6th February 2012

A gang of five have gone on trial for the alleged murder of a man in Aberdeen last year.

Gordon Morrice died almost nine months after the alleged attack, during which the group are claimed to have stamped on his head and struck his body with a bicycle.

The court heard today how Morrice was reported to police for asking to play on
a trampoline with two children the day before the alleged attack.


Enlarge

 
Mr Morrice was allegedly attacked by the gang in Aulton Playing Fields (pictured) in Aberdeen

Mr Morrice was allegedly attacked by the gang in Aulton Playing Fields (pictured) in Aberdeen

Robert Laird, 25, Paul Yates, 38, his partner Williamina Stewart, 37,
her brother Hector Stewart, 30, and teenager Paul Noble, who was 15 at
the time, all from Aberdeen, are accused of the attack.

They went on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen today accused of
murdering Mr Morrice at playing fields in the Seaton area of the city on
June 24, 2010.

It’s claimed they also repeatedly kicked, stamped and jumped on Mr Morrice’s head and body at the Golf Road park, leaving him so severely injured that he died on March 14 last year at an Aberdeen nursing home.

The first witness in the trial, Louise McEwen, 35, told the court a man had appeared at her gate while her daughter, and the daughter of accused Williamina Stewart, bounced on a trampoline in the garden.

She said she became concerned when the man, who was later identified as being Mr Morrice, asked if he could join in.

She said: ‘Why would a grown man ask two children if he could bounce on a trampoline with them. He didn’t know them.

‘I asked him not to talk to them because he didn’t know them and they didn’t know him and they weren’t allowed to talk to strangers.’


Enlarge

 
Gordon Morrice was photographed outside this Ladbrokes the day before the attack. The image was shown in court on Monday

Gordon Morrice was photographed outside this Ladbrokes the day before the attack. The image was shown in court on Monday

Miss McEwen said she saw the man a short time later at a betting shop up the street and took a photo of him with his permission on her mobile phone before calling the police.

The photograph of Mr Morrice, dressed smartly in a black suit with a shirt and tie, was shown to the jury.

Miss McEwen said police took the man away but he returned shortly after and made an obscene remark to the mother of accused Williamina Stewart.

Miss McEwen said police returned to take the man away again but he later returned.

She said she sent the photograph she had taken to Williamina Stewart and to another neighbour who printed off a copy.

She said it was later agreed with police that a copy should be sent to the local primary school.

The witness also told the jury that the fire brigade were called to her garden at 10pm that evening after the trampoline the children had been bouncing on was torched.

Another witness, Lillian Stewart, 59, the mother of accused Williamina and Hector Stewart described how her children and Williamina’s partner Yates left her home on the day of the alleged attack.

She said the couple drove off in a black Subaru and Hector Stewart headed out on a bicycle.

She said there was nothing out of the ordinary abut the trio’s behaviour when they arrived home a short time later.

She described her daughter as being ‘just her normal self’, and added: ‘She would tell me if there was anything she needed to tell me.’

All five accused deny the charge of murder. Siblings Williamina and Hector Stewart also deny previously showing malice and ill-will towards Mr Morrice.

The trial continues.

Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes