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Moira trial hears of park screams Men 'stole from murdered Moira'
(about 3 hours later)
The Moira Jones murder trial has been told that screaming was heard coming from a park where her body was found. A man has admitted stealing from a car and a purse belonging to Moira Jones on the night she was attacked and killed.
Several witnesses told the jury at the High Court in Glasgow that the screams sounded like a frightened woman. Mohammed Umar Karim, 22, told the jury his brother Mohammed Abubakar Karim found a purse and car keys on a street near Glasgow's Queen's Park on 29 May.
Marek Harcar, 33, from Slovakia, has lodged defences of incrimination and alibi, blaming three others for the murder of Ms Jones. He admitted trying to use her debit and credit cards, but said he did not know who they belonged to until days later.
The body of the 40-year-old was found in Queen's Park, in Glasgow's south side, last May. Marek Harcar, 33, who is on trial, has lodged defences blaming the brothers and another man for Ms Jones' murder.
Witness Kathleen McIlwaine told the court how she heard a scream as she was getting ready for bed in her flat, which overlooked the park, at about 2330 BST on 28 May last year. The High Court in Glasgow heard the brothers had been dropped off near their home in Queen's Drive just after midnight and found the purse and car keys.
The 51-year-old biomedical scientist said: "I heard this awful scream. This was not a joyful scream. It was one scream and then it was cut off. It really disturbed me. Mohammed Umar Karim said his 21-year-old brother took the cards from the purse and he told the court that the door of Ms Jones' Toyota had opened when he pressed the button on the keys. I actually said: 'If we wake up in the morning and someone has been murdered, then we have just heard it' Frederick GrahamWitness
"I could not see anything. The trees were in full leaf and it was so dark. Mr Karim said they had unsuccessfully tried to get money from a cash machine with her bank card before returning to Queen's Drive to look through the car "for properties to sell".
"I took it to be female. This was due to the pitch. It was a very high-pitched scream." He threw the key away and tried to use the credit cards to order computers on the internet, the court heard.
I told my colleague there was a body and asked him to get police and an ambulance John Hillhouse Couple Margaret Boyd and Frederick Graham told how they had been walking near the park around the same time that evening when they also heard a scream. Mr Karim said the pair went to the police three nights later, when they learned of the murder.
Mr Graham said it was like someone was "frightened". Paul McBride QC, defending, asked the witness how his blood came to be found in Ms Jones' jeep.
The 46-year-old taxi driver added: "Then there was another scream that Margaret and I heard. It was the same as before. It made me look at my phone. He replied: "No idea, mate." He later said it may have happened at work.
"I actually said: 'If we wake up in the morning and someone has been murdered, then we have just heard it'." The trial was also told that screaming was heard coming from a park where the 40-year-old's body was found.
Miss Boyd, a pub manageress, described the noise she heard as "a girly scream" and thought it was youths carrying on in the park. Witness Kathleen McIlwaine told the court she heard a scream as she was getting ready for bed in her flat, which overlooked the park, at about 2330 BST on 28 May.
But she added: "My partner said that he thought someone was getting assaulted in the park." The biomedical scientist said: "This was not a joyful scream. It was one scream and then it was cut off. It really disturbed me.The trial at the High Court in Glasgow is before Lord Bracadale
The trial also heard from the rangers at Queen's Park who discovered Ms Jones' half-naked body on the morning of 29 May 2008. "I could not see anything.
No pulse "I took it to be female. It was a very high-pitched scream."
John Hillhouse said he found her body lying face down behind a hedge. Her hair was matted with blood. Couple Margaret Boyd and Frederick Graham told how they had been walking near the park around the same time that evening when they also heard a scream.
Mr Hillhouse, 50, told the court: "I told my colleague there was a body and asked him to get police and an ambulance. Mr Graham, a taxi driver, added: "I actually said: 'If we wake up in the morning and someone has been murdered, then we have just heard it'."
"I stepped over the bush and went to feel for a pulse, but there was none. I asked my colleague to please hurry up. Miss Boyd, a pub manageress, described the noise as "a girly scream" and thought it was youths carrying on in the park.
"He did not think that it was real. He thought that it was a dummy. I said that it was a female and she was wearing a ring and had lovely manicured hands." The trial also heard from park rangers who discovered Ms Jones' half-naked body on the morning of 29 May.
The trial at the High Court in Glasgow is before Lord Bracadale His work-mate Ian Stewart, 63, later told the trial: "John had beckoned me over as he was over the side of the hedge.
"I jokingly said: 'You haven't found a dead body, have you?' I should not have said that, but I did."
Mr Harcar is alleged to have abducted Ms Jones, who was originally from Staffordshire, and forced her to enter the park on 28 or 29 May 2008.Mr Harcar is alleged to have abducted Ms Jones, who was originally from Staffordshire, and forced her to enter the park on 28 or 29 May 2008.
Special defences
It is claimed that he forced her across the park against her will before he repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her head and body.It is claimed that he forced her across the park against her will before he repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her head and body.
Mr Harcar is then said to have repeatedly struck the 40-year-old's body on the ground, forcibly removed her clothes, compressed her neck, pinned her to the ground and raped her. He is then said to have repeatedly struck Ms Jones on the ground, forcibly removed her clothes, compressed her neck, pinned her to the ground and raped her.
He is also alleged to have murdered Ms Jones and robbed her of two rings and three bags which included a camera, laptop and three mobile phones. Mr Harcar is also alleged to have murdered the businesswoman and stolen from her.
He denies all charges and has lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.
Other charges
Mr Harcar has blamed three other men for the attack, and claims he was elsewhere at the time it happened.
He is also charged with committing a breach of the peace by threatening to kill Lucie Pechtlova at a room in Queen's Drive on 29 May.
He is then accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by fleeing to the Czech Republic and Slovakia between 1 and 18 June last year.He is then accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by fleeing to the Czech Republic and Slovakia between 1 and 18 June last year.
He denies all charges and has lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.
The trial, before Lord Bracadale, continues.The trial, before Lord Bracadale, continues.