A woman accused of murder spoke of how her alleged victim made ‘gargling’ sounds moments after being ‘cut’ on the neck with a knife, a court has heard.
Barry Colquhoun, 36, said how he spoke to Dawn Smith, 29, hours after Tracy Walker lost her life in Lerwick, Shetland, in July 30 last year.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mr Colquhoun say that Smith told him that her co-accused, Ross MacDougall, 32, assaulted Ms Walker.
Mr Colquhoun told prosecution lawyer Steven Borthwick that he had spoken to Smith whilst he was working as a gardener at a home in Gulberwick, Shetland.
He told the court that he had heard stories about an attack which had taken place earlier and that he had raised it with Smith.
Mr Colquhoun added: “She said she knew what had happened and she was present. When she told me, I was taken aback. I asked her what happened.
“She said that Ross had killed Tracy and he had struck her with a rock to the side of her head and then proceeded to strike her one more time on her head.
“At that point, Tracy was on the ground and Ross had cut her with a knife.
“She said it was horrific. You could hear Tracy gargling.”
Mr Colquhoun, who lives in Glasgow, was giving evidence on the ninth day of proceedings against MacDougall and Smith.
The two accused deny murdering Ms Walker and other charges.
On Monday, Mr Colquhoun told Mr Borthwick that Smith had told her that following the incident, MacDougall handed her the knife and she placed it in her bag.
Mr Colquhoun said Smith told him that she and MacDougall had taken a taxi from the scene. The witness then described what Smith said next.
He said: “They took Ross’s mother’s car and went on a long drive into the hills where they got rid of their clothes, phones and the weapon.”
Mr Colquhoun told the court that Smith said she didn’t “do it”.
He added: “She said she had to get off the island. I said to her ‘you need to speak to the police’.”
Mr Colquhoun also said that Smith said that Ms Walker was in debt to her during the conversation.
He added: “She said that Tracy owed her money and that if she was able to buy drugs then she was able to pay back the money she owed her.”
Prosecutors claim that on July 30 last year at Ladies Drive, Smith had “without reasonable excuse or lawful authority” a knife. It is stated that this was “contrary to the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Scotland Act 1995.”
The second charges alleges that on the same date at the same location, MacDougall and Smith assaulted Ms Walker and inflicted “blunt force trauma to her head by means unknown.”
It’s also alleged that the two accused compressed her neck with their hands and that they struck her repeatedly on the neck and hand with “a knife or similar instrument.”
Prosecutors claim that the two accused attempted to rob her of money and that they “did murder her.”
They face other charges.
Both MacDougall and Smith, have entered not guilty pleas to all charges on the indictment.
The trial before judge Lord Uist continues.
