A judge has been forced to put a murder trial on hold due to the heavy snow.
Lady Scott told 14 jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh today that the one member of the jury who was absent had been “completely snowed in”.
The judge said that a heightened travel warning was expected and it was important that those in attendance were able to get home.
She adjourned the trial of Norman Duncan, 42, who has denied assaulting and murdering Margaret Robertson in her home in Aberdeen, until Thursday.
He is alleged to have seized hold of the 54-year-old, who was known as Meg, pulled her, struggled with her, touched her breast, sexually assaulted her and repeatedly stabbed her on the head, neck and body with a knife or similar sharp instrument on September 25, 2019, at her flat at 45 Promenade Court.
Duncan has lodged a special defence of incrimination to the murder charge.
Lady Scott addressed the jurors via video link as they watched from a nearby cinema complex.
She said: “As you will see, one of your members is not present. It is not her fault, she is completely snowed in.”
The judge said an amber warning was anticipated for travel and it was important that they were able to get home.
Lady Scott said some courts were not sitting on Wednesday as a result of the continuing conditions.
She added: “I am minded to do that and start again on Thursday.”
She thanked jurors for their patience as they left the cinema.
