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World's End trial: Angus Sinclair admits having sex with victims World's End trial: Angus Sinclair 'didn't care' about victims
(about 3 hours later)
A man accused of raping and murdering two teenage girls 37 years ago has admitted having sex with them. The man accused of the World's End murders has told a court he did "not really" care about the victims when he had sex with them the night they died.
Angus Sinclair, 69, told the High Court in Livingston he had met Helen Scott and Christine Eadie in the World's End pub in Edinburgh in October 1977. Angus Sinclair said he and his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton had offered Helen Scott and Christine Eadie a lift home after a night out in Edinburgh.
Mr Sinclair denies raping and murdering the teenagers. But instead, he drove to a dark spot in nearby Holyrood Park because he said he wanted to "chance his arm" with them.
He said he had left the pub with the girls and his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton in a caravanette. Mr Sinclair denies raping and murdering the teenage girls 37 years ago.
Giving evidence, he said he had driven them to the nearby Holyrood Park where both girls had willingly had sex with both men. The 69-year-old accepted sex was on his mind that night in October 1977, but conceded it was not on the minds of the girls.
Mr Sinclair, who elected to give evidence on his own behalf, said he had only learned what had happened to the girls when he read about it in a newspaper three days later. He said he had had one drink at the pub and the girls, both 17, were not sober.
'Not sober' Mr Sinclair told the High Court in Livingston that he had sex with Christine Eadie while Mr Hamilton had sex with Helen Scott, both in the back of his van, before swapping partners because it "seemed the right thing to do".
He told Ian Duguid, prosecuting, he had arrived at the World's End pub at about 10:30 on Saturday 15 October 1977. Asked by the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC, prosecuting, how the men had managed to persuade the girls to have "consensual group sex" after a conversation in the pub lasting around five minutes, Mr Sinclair said: "I don't know."
Mr Sinclair said he had been fishing with his brother-in-law during the day and that he had also been fishing with him the night before in the dark at Cockenzie Power Station. Mr Mulholland then asked whether the girls had just been "something for you to use". He replied: "Yes."
He said he had had one drink at the pub and the girls were not sober. Mr Sinclair claims he later drove the girls to East Lothian where he went fishing while Mr Hamilton drove away with them, apparently to take them home.
He told the court that when they left the pub the girls walked in front as they went down St Mary's Street towards his Toyota caravanette and the girls got in the van with him. He said he only realised Mr Hamilton must have murdered them when he read about the crime in a newspaper the following Tuesday.
Mr Duguid said: "Did you offer them a lift?" He told the court he had confronted Mr Hamilton about the murders on a fishing trip later that week, but admitted he had been more concerned about Mr Hamilton driving his van again than about what his brother-in-law had done.
Mr Sinclair said: "Yes". Helen Scott's father Morain watched from the front of the public gallery as Mr Sinclair gave his evidence.
"Were they agreeable about getting into your caravanette?," he was asked. The cross-examination was suspended for the day after the accused yawned repeatedly in the witness box.
Again he replied: "Yes". Heart condition
The accused said they drove to Arthur's seat a short distance from the World's End pub in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park. Defence advocate, Ian Duguid QC, said his client was on medication for a heart condition which made him tired.
Asked if the girls were agreeable to going there, Mr Sinclair replied: "I don't think they knew where they were."
Mr Duguid added: "But the idea was you would eventually give them a lift home?"
Mr Sinclair said: "Yes".
'Chance my arm'
Asked why he drove into the park, Mr Sinclair said "to chance my arm with the girls".
Mr Duguid said: "Did you think the girls were going to be receptive to you chancing your arm?"
Mr Sinclair said: "Yes".
The accused had described how the back seat in the caravanette folded down into a double bed.The accused had described how the back seat in the caravanette folded down into a double bed.
He said that he then had sex with Christine Eadie and that she had not objected at all. He said that he had sex with Christine Eadie and that she had not objected at all.
The court heard he assumed his brother-in-law on the bed next to him was having sex with Helen Scott.The court heard he assumed his brother-in-law on the bed next to him was having sex with Helen Scott.
Mr Sinclair said they then swapped partners and he had sex with Helen Scott who had put her coat back on.Mr Sinclair said they then swapped partners and he had sex with Helen Scott who had put her coat back on.
According to the accused, she told him she was a virgin. He said she did not show any unwillingness.According to the accused, she told him she was a virgin. He said she did not show any unwillingness.
Mr Sinclair said afterwards he drove the van so he could continue fishing at the spot near Cockenzie where he had been before, although he didn't know exactly where that was.Mr Sinclair said afterwards he drove the van so he could continue fishing at the spot near Cockenzie where he had been before, although he didn't know exactly where that was.
His brother-in-law and the girls were still in the back of the van, according to Mr Sinclair.His brother-in-law and the girls were still in the back of the van, according to Mr Sinclair.
The jury heard he got his fishing gear out when they stopped and the girls got dressed again.The jury heard he got his fishing gear out when they stopped and the girls got dressed again.
Mr Sinclair said Mr Hamilton then drove the girls home and came back to join him fishing.Mr Sinclair said Mr Hamilton then drove the girls home and came back to join him fishing.
It was only, he insisted, when he read a newspaper report on the Tuesday that he found out the girls were dead.
He said he never went fishing again with Gordon Hamilton, that they fell out and although Gordon Hamilton died in 1996 he only learned about it in 2004.He said he never went fishing again with Gordon Hamilton, that they fell out and although Gordon Hamilton died in 1996 he only learned about it in 2004.
Special defence Mr Sinclair accepted some parts of his account of what happened appear ridiculous.
Under cross examination from Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland, prosecuting, Mr Sinclair accepted he had taken the girls to Holyrood Park despite them wanting to go home. The accused denied having anal sex with Christine Eadie and said he could not explain DNA evidence suggesting he had done.
He said he had spoken to them for "about five minutes" in the pub. 'Gagged and bound'
He also accepted some parts of his accounts of what happened appear ridiculous. He said he could also not explain injuries consistent with rape.
Mr Sinclair denied having anal sex with Christine Eadie and said he could not explain DNA evidence suggesting he had done.
He said he could also not explain injuries consist with rape.
His denial of having anal sex contradicts his own special defence.His denial of having anal sex contradicts his own special defence.
Mr Sinclair is alleged to have gagged the girls, bound their wrists and tied a ligature around their necks.Mr Sinclair is alleged to have gagged the girls, bound their wrists and tied a ligature around their necks.
He denies inflicting blunt force injuries on Ms Eadie by repeatedly punching and kicking her on the body and biting her.He denies inflicting blunt force injuries on Ms Eadie by repeatedly punching and kicking her on the body and biting her.
He also denies forcing Ms Scott to walk barefoot into a field, ripping the strap from her handbag, repeatedly punching and kicking her on the head and body and stamping on her head.He also denies forcing Ms Scott to walk barefoot into a field, ripping the strap from her handbag, repeatedly punching and kicking her on the head and body and stamping on her head.
And he denies stealing clothing, footwear, jewellery and other personal effects from the teenagers in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.And he denies stealing clothing, footwear, jewellery and other personal effects from the teenagers in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
The trial continues.The trial continues.