The alleged victim in an abduction trial was described in court yesterday as a known “moonlight prowler.”
Michael Buchan, 23, was giving evidence at Peterhead Sheriff Court and said that Alexander “Sandy” Fraser was known to hang around the Buchan town late at night.
Andrew Waddell, 26, is on trial accused of assaulting and abducting 20-year-old Mr Fraser in April, last year.
Mr Buchan, an offshore worker, said he and Waddell had sought out Mr Fraser in an attempt to recover property stolen from Waddell’s workshop.
He said they had been tipped off the Mr Fraser knew where the goods were and had arranged to meet him outside the Ban-Car Hotel at Lonmay on the night of April 10, 2013.
However, far from abducting Mr Fraser, Mr Buchan said he had got into the back of Waddell’s Ford van of his own free will to help them locate the goods.
He added that at no point in the evening did Mr Fraser seem to be injured or show any signs of fear.
Giving evidence Mr Buchan said: “We pulled up at the Ban-Car and Andy (Waddell) got out of the car to speak to Sandy.
“He said he would help us find the property that had been stolen – he was off his head but was well up for helping.
“He got into the back of the van and we drove through to Peterhead, to a garage in the Gadle Braes area.”
According to Mr Buchan when they arrived at the lock-up they met with his brother, Mark Buchan and half-brother Andrew Ritchies.
Another man, the owner of the lock-up, joined them to open the garage.
Jurors were told that when only a small number of car parts were found inside, Mr Fraser told them that there was more in a garage at Sandhaven, near Fraserburgh.
Before they could search the garage in the small, sea-side village, police arrived and found Mr Fraser in the back of the van.
Under cross-examination from fiscal depute Felicity Merson, Mr Buchan was asked how he knew Mr Fraser would be in the Peterhead area that night.
He said: “He’s always about at night – let’s just say he’s known as a bit of a moonlight prowler.”
Constable Peter Carnaby, of Fraserburgh police station, told the court that when he and a colleague opened the door of the van in Sandhaven they found Mr Fraser with “a facial injury but still conscious.”
The trial continues.
