A murder accused has told a court he still has nightmares and “screams in his sleep” about a brawl that allegedly led to a north-east dad’s death.
Thomas Martin is on trial with six other men, accused of murdering Gary Clampett by hitting him with knives, a machete, a sword, a chain, a hammer, a crowbar, bats, golf clubs and poles at Fernie Place, Fraserburgh, on June 18.
The 45-year-old, along with John Henderson, 47, Gary Martin, 37, Joseph Martin, 40, David Graham, 46, James Connor, 52, and Dean Leech, 25, deny the charge.
Last week Henderson admitted he had killed Mr Clampett by “striking out at him” three times with a knife while he was being chased by his wife and Rena Sutherland but insisted it had not been pre-meditated.
Yesterday, Thomas Martin gave evidence in his own defence and told jurors he had suffered from anxiety for a number of years – which has worsened since Mr Clampett’s death.
“I have struggled with sleeping,” he told his defence counsel Frances Connor.
“I have nightmares, they’re all a bit of a blur but I think it’s all to do with the night last year. I’ve been screaming in my sleep.”
Thomas Martin told the jury he had gone in a car with his Henderson, Connor and Leech and cousin Gary Martin to ensure the latter’s sister and niece were OK following an alleged incident at their house earlier that day.
The former factory manager said that, when the group arrived at Fernie Place, a scuffle broke out and Mr Clampett grabbed him by the throat before he eventually managed to free himself.
He claimed Mr Clampett’s wife Sharon then attacked him with a pole repeatedly, so he picked up a car tow chain lying nearby and began to swing it at her to get her to back off.
Under cross-examination by advocate depute Paul Kearney, Thomsas Martin denied he had gone to Fernie Place with the intention of attacking Mr Clampett.
“I’m not a violent man,” he said.
When he was asked why he has £10,000 and his passport on his possession when police arrested him in Aberdeen in the days after Mr Clampett’s death, he said he it was compensation money from a workplace accident which he had been trying to get to his daughter.
“I could have been away if I wanted,” he said.
“It was to help her pay her student loan and buy a car.”
Thomas Martin told the High Court in Glasgow that his DNA had been found underneath Mr Clampett’s fingernails because he had grabbed his throat.
However, he could not account for why his cap had Mr Clampett’s blood on it, and said it had fallen off his head after he was attacked.
Co-accused James Connor told jurors he had driven the group to and from Fernie Place that night but said he had no idea any violence had happened until after the incident.
He also said Gary Martin’s earlier claims that he had taken a crowbar from Connor’s car boot to prevent Ms Sutherland from grabbing it were untrue, and said he did not even have the tool in his vehicle.
Connor admitted lying to police about being in his bed at the time of Mr Clampett’s death and claimed he had “panicked” when he heard the news.
The trial, before Lord Beckett, continues.
