Man charged with pensioner murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7464267.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A man has been charged with the murder of a pensioner found buried in woodland in Perthshire.

Dolina Maclean, 87, from Stanley, disappeared after visiting a supermarket in Perth on 30 May.

Her body was discovered at Knowehead Woodland, near Dunning, on Wednesday after a search by police and scientific experts.

A 48-year-old man from the Perthshire area is expected to appear at Perth Sheriff Court on Monday.

Although the body was discovered on Wednesday, it was not formally identified until Friday morning.

Det Chief Insp Bruce Kerr said: "Clearly, since developments at the weekend, we had suspected that our inquiries at Knowehead Woodland would lead us to finding the body of Dolina Maclean.

"Today's formal identification confirms what we had all feared and my heartfelt sympathies go out to Dolina's sister and her extended family.

"This has been a painstaking investigation so far and we are still appealing for help from the public to piece together Dolina's last movements."

Miss Maclean's body was found in dense woods near Dunning

Miss Maclean was reported missing by her older sister, who has been in hospital since before the disappearance.

She was last seen at the Tesco on Crieff Road some time between 0930 BST and 1100 BST on Friday 30 May.

Officers have been handing out leaflets at the store in an effort to trace those who may have seen Miss Maclean there.

She was about 5ft 5in tall, with long, fair hair and blue/grey eyes.

When last seen at her home, she was wearing a three-quarter length black or dark blue coat. It is also thought she would have been wearing a blue jumper and black trousers.

She had arthritis and needed a stick or zimmer frame to walk.

Police have also appealed for anyone who saw Miss Maclean's dark green Vauxhall Astra with the registration number SP52 NYM to come forward.

It was found at a factory car park in Coupar Angus on Saturday.