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| Head-on-beach murder trial begins | Head-on-beach murder trial begins |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A Lithuanian man has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman whose head was found on a beach in Arbroath. | |
| Vitas Plytnykas, 41, denies torturing and murdering fellow Lithuanian Jolanta Bledaite, 35, and has lodged a special defence of alibi and incrimination. | Vitas Plytnykas, 41, denies torturing and murdering fellow Lithuanian Jolanta Bledaite, 35, and has lodged a special defence of alibi and incrimination. |
| The head of Ms Bledaite was found by two young sisters on 1 April last year. | The head of Ms Bledaite was found by two young sisters on 1 April last year. |
| At an earlier court appearance, Aleksandras Skirda, who is also from Lithuania, pleaded guilty to murdering farm worker Ms Bledaite in Angus. | |
| He also admitted throwing a suitcase containing her body into Arbroath harbour and withdrawing £1,400 using stolen bank cards. | He also admitted throwing a suitcase containing her body into Arbroath harbour and withdrawing £1,400 using stolen bank cards. |
| The trial of Mr Plytnykas is taking place at the High Court in Edinburgh. | The trial of Mr Plytnykas is taking place at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| Memorial | |
| Ms Bledaite, from Alytus, was a migrant worker who had been living in Brechin at the time of her death. | |
| Her head was found in a plastic bag on the beach at Arbroath by two sisters, aged eight and 11. | |
| Her hands were then discovered by police searching the area. | |
| Skirda and Mr Plytnykas were arrested days later. | |
| Then a suitcase containing Ms Bledaite's body parts was pulled from Arbroath harbour. | |
| People in Arbroath and Brechin raised thousands of pounds to support the family of Ms Bledaite in Lithuania. | |
| About 200 also attended a memorial service on the beach where her head and hands were found. |