A man accused of murdering his Scottish girlfriend in Lapland had “altercations” with local residents while living in the Highlands.
Neighbours of the couple have spoken of their “shock” after 26-year-old Santa Safari tour guide Rebecca Johnson was found stabbed to death in the Finnish village of Kuttanen.
Her boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of her killing following a police manhunt in temperatures of -30C.
The couple, who were both keen husky dog racers, are understood to have lived together in the Kirkhill area, outside Inverness, with Ms Johnson moving there at the end of 2013.
The pair are thought to have then moved to Tulloch, Nethy Bridge, in 2014.
Local residents yesterday claimed they had a series of run-ins with Ms Johnson’s partner during the year they lived in the area, however, and suggested he had left without paying any rent.
One said yesterday: “It was quite a shock. He was a neighbour of ours here.
“This couple came here and there were a number of occasions where he was misbehaving.
“To be quite honest, local people didn’t like him.
“A local fellow was assaulted here on his way to work. He was questioned by police a couple of times, as far as I know.
“He was a tenant at a local cottage here for I think just a year. There were a number of altercations. He didn’t fit in well with local folk. A number of local people were concerned about this guy.”
It is understood police did speak to Ms Johnson’s boyfriend at the time but he was never charged or convicted of an offence.
Another Nethy Bridge resident said: “I heard about issues with him, though I never met him. I had heard he was believed to be ex-special forces.”
Just over two weeks ago Ms Johnson’s boyfriend posted on social media that he was “in the middle of the northern wilderness… roughly 250 miles above the arctic circle.”
He added: “I lived for years in Scotland and now I’m trying to put down some roots in Scandinavia.”
Ms Johnson was working in Finland as a member of the Santa Safari team, which is connected to the Oxford-based tour operator Transun Travel, and arranges Christmas-themed excursions to Lapland.
Ms Johnson’s great-aunt Val Laing, who stays in Burntisland, said her great-niece would be greatly missed.
She said: “Rebecca was a beautiful girl. I had come home from Edinburgh when her grandad was on the phone to tell me what had happened. I couldn’t take it in at first.
“For her parents and grandparents to lose her just before Christmas is devastating. I’ll be there for them but I don’t know how they are going to cope.”
It is understood Ms Johnson’s parents have travelled to Lapland.
A statement from the Lapland Police Department said: “Police are continuing their investigations into the homicide in the village of Kuttanen, by Enontekio, in Finland.
“A 26-year-old British citizen has died as a result of the incident.
“Following a manhunt, a 36-year-old Czech man was detained as a suspect.
“Police are recommending he’d be imprisoned and formally charged with murder on Wednesday, December 7.”
A spokeswoman for Santa Safari said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the Santa Safari team was discovered dead on December 3.
“We are all in shock from this tragic news and our thoughts go out to her family.
“Our team is working closely with the Finnish police and relevant authorities to support the investigation that is now under way.
“It goes without saying that we will do everything we can to support the family and our staff at this incredibly difficult time.”
A foreign office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Finland on December 3.”
Police Scotland confirmed they had been contacted by the foreign office regarding the incident and are assisting them as required.