A man who told a murder trial how he found a woman with large gash to her throat has denied being a liar and a drug dealer.
Gary Latham, 45, told defence lawyer Brian McConnachie QC that he wasn’t concerned in the supply of narcotics on Monday.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mr Latham, of Lerwick, Shetland, also deny that he had told told lies during his evidence.
Mr Latham was giving evidence on the fourth day of proceedings against Ross McDougall, 32, and Dawn Smith, 28,.
The pair deny murdering a woman called Tracey Walker at Ladies Drive, Lerwick on July 30 2019. They are also standing trial on four other charges.
Mr Latham was giving evidence for the third day.
He had earlier told jurors how he found Ms Walker lying on grass close to his home and discovered that she had an injury to her throat.
On Monday, Mr McConnachie suggested to Mr Latham that he was concerned in supplying drugs.
He said: “You are a drug dealer.”
Mr Latham replied: “No. I am a drug user.”
Prosecutors claim that on July 30 2019 at Ladies Drive, Ms 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, Mr MacDougall and Ms Smith assaulted Ms Walker and inflicted “blunt force trauma to her head by means unknown.”
Tracey Walker murder trial: Alleged victim was ‘on her way to pay drug dues’
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 Mr MacDougall and Ms Smith have entered not guilty pleas to all charges on the indictment.
The trial continues.
