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Victim's mother in trial evidence Victim's mother in trial evidence
(about 1 hour later)
A mother has told a murder trial about the daughter she lost more than 27 years ago. A mother has told a murder trial how her daughter was found dead in woods the day before what would have been her 21st birthday.
Anne McCabe, 67, was speaking on the first day of evidence against Vincent Simpson, who is accused of murdering Elizabeth McCabe in Dundee in 1980. Anne McCabe, 67, was giving evidence on the first day of the trial of Vincent Simpson, who is accused of murdering Elizabeth McCabe in Dundee in 1980.
She told the High Court in Edinburgh her daughter was a very quiet, shy girl who rarely went out. She told the High Court in Edinburgh her daughter was a quiet, shy girl.
Mr Simpson denies murdering Miss McCabe - whose body was found in Templeton Woods the day before her 21st birthday. Mr Simpson, a former taxi driver, denies murdering Miss McCabe, whose body was found in Templeton Woods.
Mrs McCabe said her daughter, a trainee nurse, loved her family. Mrs McCabe said her daughter, a trainee nursery nurse, had left the family home in Lyndhurst Avenue, Lochee, for a night out with friends on Sunday 10 February 1980.
She also said her daughter was cautious when she went for occasional nights out and would never accept a lift from a stranger. The 27th would have been Elizabeth's 21st birthday. The day after her body was found Alex Prentice QcProsecutor
Her parents were worried when she failed to return home but did not tell police immediately in the mistaken belief that you had to wait for 24 hours before reporting a missing person.
Elizabeth's body was found 16 days later in Templeton Woods.
Mrs McCabe said she and her husband had no concerns about Elizabeth when they went to bed, adding: "She had work the next day so I presumed she wouldn't be too late."
Recalling how she had got up at 0630 BST the next morning, Mrs McCabe continued: "I went into her bedroom and her bed hadn't been slept in.
"I didn't know what to think, really. It was totally out of character for Elizabeth. I was very worried. I was anxious all day."
The family went to the police and searched streets and pubs where Elizabeth might have gone, as well as Dundee's Riverside, fearing their daughter may have drowned.
'Found a body'
Then Mrs McCabe described the events of 26 February when police came to her house while she was out searching.
There was always someone at home, she said, in case her daughter phoned.
She added: "I was down the town, just looking round, you know, and when I came home they said they had found a body.
"I just immediately felt it was her. They said 'we cannot say just now as there are other people missing'."
Her husband later identified Elizabeth's body, before police came to the house again and showed her Elizabeth's jacket, a pair of pants and a pair of tights.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice Qc, prosecuting, said: "Of course the 27th would have been Elizabeth's 21st birthday. The day after her body was found."
Mrs McCabe told him: "Yes."
She told Mr Prentice that Elizabeth was the oldest of her four children - three girls and a boy.
Elizabeth was never a worry ... I didn't worry about her going out Anne McCabe
She said: "Elizabeth was never a worry. I mean, I didn't worry about her going out you know. She didn't smoke or drink a lot or anything like that."
She said her daughter would normally have taken a bus home, or alternatively a taxi if it was late and would never accept a lift from a stranger.
Mr Simpson, 61, of Camberley, Surrey, is accused of murdering Miss McCabe by striking her on the head, seizing and compressing her neck.Mr Simpson, 61, of Camberley, Surrey, is accused of murdering Miss McCabe by striking her on the head, seizing and compressing her neck.
Taxi driver
At the time of Miss McCabe's death he was working as a taxi driver in Dundee and living in Belmont Street, Newtyle.At the time of Miss McCabe's death he was working as a taxi driver in Dundee and living in Belmont Street, Newtyle.
He claims that on the night of 10 to 11 February he was either at home, ferrying fares around the Dundee area or at a local casino.He claims that on the night of 10 to 11 February he was either at home, ferrying fares around the Dundee area or at a local casino.
Mrs McCabe told advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, that Elizabeth was the oldest of her four children - three girls and a boy. Mr Simpson's defence team has produced a list of 13 names, claiming that one or more of them were responsible for the murder.
The family lived in Lindhurst Avenue, Lochee, a suburb about half an hour from the centre of Dundee by bus.
Mrs McCabe said her daughter had left school aged 16 to start working as a nursery assistant before going on to do nursery nurse training.
Elizabeth was never a worry ... I didn't worry about her going out Anne McCabe
"Sometimes she went on nights out with the ladies from the nursery, but she didn't go out a lot," Mrs McCabe said.
She added that sometimes her daughter would phone to say what time she would be back home, but not always. She never stayed out all night.
"Elizabeth was never a worry. I mean, I didn't worry about her going out you know. She didn't smoke or drink a lot or anything like that," Mrs McCabe said.
Mr Prentice asked how Miss McCabe would get home.
"Depending on the time, if the buses were running it would be a bus," Mrs McCabe said.
"But if the buses had stopped it would be a taxi, probably."
She added: "She wouldn't take a lift from anyone she didn't know. She would get a taxi, yes."
Simpson's defence team has produced a list of 13 names, claiming that one or more of them were responsible for the murder.
The trial before Lord Kinclaven is expected to last up to eight weeks.The trial before Lord Kinclaven is expected to last up to eight weeks.