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Man 'admitted woman's abduction' Man 'admits' abducting pensioner
(about 3 hours later)
A man found sleeping in a dead pensioner's car later confessed he had abducted her, a trial has heard. A jury has been shown video evidence of the man accused of murdering a pensioner admitting he abducted her and dragged her body into a woods.
A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh has been watching a video of detectives questioning John Lawson about a green Vauxhall Astra. John Lawson told police officers he got into the car with 87-year-old Dolina Maclean at the Tesco car park in Perth.
The trial heard that the Astra belonged Dolina Maclean, 87, whose body was later found in a drainage ditch in woodland near Perth in June last year. He said he was "desperate" to get her car but she collapsed when he got her out of the vehicle in Perthshire.
Mr Lawson, 48, denies murdering her and concealing the body. Lawson has pleaded not guilty to abducting Miss Maclean and leaving her to die in the woods.
Reported missing
Pc Richard Price described how he and colleagues had been asked to keep a lookout for Miss Maclean's green car after she had been reported missing.Pc Richard Price described how he and colleagues had been asked to keep a lookout for Miss Maclean's green car after she had been reported missing.
The Astra was spotted in a car park of a chicken processing factory in Coupar Angus on 14 June. The Vauxhall Astra was spotted in a car park of a chicken processing factory in Coupar Angus on 14 June.
Police found Mr Lawson inside, who claimed he had bought the car.Police found Mr Lawson inside, who claimed he had bought the car.
However, the police were suspicious and charged him with reset, believing that he had purchased the vehicle knowing it to be stolen.However, the police were suspicious and charged him with reset, believing that he had purchased the vehicle knowing it to be stolen.
I do not know someone called Dolina Maclean. I have, to my knowledge, never met her John LawsonFrom police interview A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh watched a video of the moment when Mr Lawson confessed to abducting Miss Maclean.
Mr Lawson's own sister had branded him "an inveterate liar" and "a drunk," the court heard. He told Det con Calum Christie: "I know she is dead and I know where she is."
Mr Lawson had told his family a different story about the green Astra, claiming he had borrowed it. Mr Lawson told them he got into her car in Tesco's car park in Crieff Road, Perth, and told her to "drive."
Police had also spotted that keys to Miss Maclean's home in Stanley, Perthshire, were on the same key ring as the vehicle keys. He added: "I was desperate. I needed a car. I wanted to see my son and suchlike."
"I do not know someone called Dolina Maclean. I have, to my knowledge, never met her," Mr Lawson told detectives. He told how they had stopped in a lay-by.
"I do know a lot of people from Stanley but none of them are elderly females." It kept going through my mind, 'what to do? what to do? John Lawson Mr Lawson told Miss MacLean to get out of the car.
After watching 45 minutes of the interview, leading up to Mr Lawson's arrest for reset, advocate depute Derek Ogg QC, prosecuting, said the jury would see more recorded question and answer sessions. He then "helped" her get out, when she refused.
"Does he admit getting that car by abducting Dolina Maclean from Tesco's car park when she was in that car on May 30 2008?" he asked Det Con Calum Christie. "I wasn't intending to do any harm to her or anything like that," he said.
Det Con Christie, who had questioned Mr Lawson, told him: "Yes". "She was a bit frail and she hit herself a few times on the neck or something and she collapsed a few times"
Mr Lawson, formerly living in Spittalfield, near Perth, has pled not guilty to abducting Miss Maclean and leaving her to die in woods. Mr Lawson said: "I pulled her into the woods and I left her.
"I am sure she was dead. I have no reason otherwise to think."
He told the questioning detectives he was "devastated" as he returned to Perth.
"I didn't come forward at the time, which I realise I should have done. It kept going through my mind, 'what to do? what to do?'"
Six days later he hired a van and drove back to the body in the woods.
He said: "I went back and I got the body and took her out to Dunning and buried her decently."
Mr Lawson, formerly living in Spittalfield, near Perth, has pleaded not guilty to abducting Miss Maclean and leaving her to die in woods.
He also denies attempting to defeat the ends of justice by burying the 87-year-old woman in a drainage ditch some days later.He also denies attempting to defeat the ends of justice by burying the 87-year-old woman in a drainage ditch some days later.
The trial continues.The trial continues.