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Head-on-beach murder trial begins Jury shown photos of severed head
(about 3 hours later)
A Lithuanian man has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman whose head was found on a beach in Arbroath. A jury has been shown photographs of a severed head which 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. Lithuanian Vitas Plytnykas, 41, denies torturing and murdering 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.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. Skirda 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. We saw through a rip in that bag that there were fingers Pc Lynsey Bovill
Memorial The jury was shown photographs of the severed head lying on the beach wrapped in a black rubbish bag.
Ms Bledaite, from Alytus, was a migrant worker who had been living in Brechin at the time of her death. The court heard how Pc Lynsey Bovill went to South Street beach on 1 April after a mother told police her two daughters had found the head.
Her head was found in a plastic bag on the beach at Arbroath by two sisters, aged eight and 11. Pc Bovill, 29, said: "There was a black bin liner and inside was a Lidl carrier bag."
Her hands were then discovered by police searching the area. "There was a small tear about an inch wide where I could see flesh."
Skirda and Mr Plytnykas were arrested days later. Her attention was also drawn by a colleague to another bag on the beach.
Then a suitcase containing Ms Bledaite's body parts was pulled from Arbroath harbour. "We saw through a rip in that bag that there were fingers," she said.
People in Arbroath and Brechin raised thousands of pounds to support the family of Ms Bledaite in Lithuania. The pictures shown in court revealed part of a woman's head, the features obscured by tangled brown hair falling over her face.
About 200 also attended a memorial service on the beach where her head and hands were found. Parts of her face appeared to show marks of injuries.
Sharing flat
Philip Brown, 58, who described himself as area manager for an agency supplying farm workers, said police showed him pictures of the gruesome find.
He realised the dead woman was one of his migrant workers from Lithuania.
Mr Brown said Ms Bledaite was "very reliable" and it was out of character when she failed to show up for work.
He told the trial that Skirda told him Ms Bledaite had run away with "some Polish people".
She had been sharing a flat in South Esk Street, Brechin, with Skirda and two Poles, the court heard.
Mr Plytnykas claims he was at or near his home in Hillview, Brechin, when Jolanta died on 29 March last year and that Skirda alone was to blame for her death.
The trial before Lord Pentland and a jury of ten women and five men is expected to last until the middle of next week.