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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Kriss trial hears from car valet | Kriss trial hears from car valet |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A valet has told the Kriss Donald murder trial that he saw a group of Asian men sitting on something unusual in the back of a car. | A valet has told the Kriss Donald murder trial that he saw a group of Asian men sitting on something unusual in the back of a car. |
| Derek Lesley, 42, who worked for an Edinburgh car hire firm, told the High Court in Edinburgh that the men's heads were touching the roof. | Derek Lesley, 42, who worked for an Edinburgh car hire firm, told the High Court in Edinburgh that the men's heads were touching the roof. |
| He also claimed he had been sacked by his Asian bosses for helping police. | He also claimed he had been sacked by his Asian bosses for helping police. |
| Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq, 27, Zeeshan Shahid, 29, and brother Imran Shahid 29, deny racially motivated murder. | Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq, 27, Zeeshan Shahid, 29, and brother Imran Shahid 29, deny racially motivated murder. |
| Mr Lesley said he saw the men in the car on the day the 15-year-old schoolboy was abducted from the Pollokshields area of Glasgow. | Mr Lesley said he saw the men in the car on the day the 15-year-old schoolboy was abducted from the Pollokshields area of Glasgow. |
| "I wish I had kept my mouth shut," Mr Lesley told the court. | "I wish I had kept my mouth shut," Mr Lesley told the court. |
| It was like they were sitting on something. Their heads were touching the roof Derek Lesley | It was like they were sitting on something. Their heads were touching the roof Derek Lesley |
| He said some of what he had told the police about the silver car, which arrived at Good News car hire off Leith Walk, had turned out to be wrong. | He said some of what he had told the police about the silver car, which arrived at Good News car hire off Leith Walk, had turned out to be wrong. |
| Mr Lesley was called as a witness by David Burns QC, who is defending Imran Shahid. | Mr Lesley was called as a witness by David Burns QC, who is defending Imran Shahid. |
| Mr Shahid has lodged a special defence blaming others for the murder in March 2004 - including Mohammed Maqsood who has told the trial that he went to try to hire a car from the premises where Mr Lesley worked. | Mr Shahid has lodged a special defence blaming others for the murder in March 2004 - including Mohammed Maqsood who has told the trial that he went to try to hire a car from the premises where Mr Lesley worked. |
| Describing the men in the silver car, Mr Lesley said: "It was strange the way they were sitting in the back. | Describing the men in the silver car, Mr Lesley said: "It was strange the way they were sitting in the back. |
| "They were just sitting funnily. It was like they were sitting on something. Their heads were touching the roof." | "They were just sitting funnily. It was like they were sitting on something. Their heads were touching the roof." |
| The court heard that Mr Lesley contacted police in the wake of publicity about Kriss' abduction and murder. He told them the driver of the silver car had hired cars before and on this occasion was "agitated". | The court heard that Mr Lesley contacted police in the wake of publicity about Kriss' abduction and murder. He told them the driver of the silver car had hired cars before and on this occasion was "agitated". |
| Sacking claims | Sacking claims |
| Mr Lesley later attended an identity parade and picked out suspect Zahid Mohammed as a rear seat passenger in the car. | Mr Lesley later attended an identity parade and picked out suspect Zahid Mohammed as a rear seat passenger in the car. |
| Mohammed, 22, was later sentenced to five years in jail for his part in snatching Kriss after the allegation that he had a hand in stabbing the schoolboy and setting him on fire was dropped. | Mohammed, 22, was later sentenced to five years in jail for his part in snatching Kriss after the allegation that he had a hand in stabbing the schoolboy and setting him on fire was dropped. |
| During questions at the high court, Mr Lesley said he could not remember details and did not understand why he was in court. | During questions at the high court, Mr Lesley said he could not remember details and did not understand why he was in court. |
| Kriss' body was discovered by a cyclist in March 2004 | |
| "I got sacked as a result of this whole incident," he said. | "I got sacked as a result of this whole incident," he said. |
| However, a former colleague at the car hire firm, Bruce Jeffery, 66, denied Mr Lesley was dismissed, saying he was an excellent worker who left to get a better job. | However, a former colleague at the car hire firm, Bruce Jeffery, 66, denied Mr Lesley was dismissed, saying he was an excellent worker who left to get a better job. |
| The court also heard from Majid Sajawal, manager of an internet shop in Albert Drive, Pollokshields, Glasgow, who said Imran Shahid visited the premises soon after the boy's body was found. | The court also heard from Majid Sajawal, manager of an internet shop in Albert Drive, Pollokshields, Glasgow, who said Imran Shahid visited the premises soon after the boy's body was found. |
| He agreed that customers could use his computer equipment to set up trips abroad. | He agreed that customers could use his computer equipment to set up trips abroad. |
| The trial has heard that Imran Shahid came back from Pakistan in October last year to face the murder charge. | The trial has heard that Imran Shahid came back from Pakistan in October last year to face the murder charge. |
| IT consultant Paul Dickson, 30, told the court that a man seen beside a burning Mercedes linked to the murder might have been white-skinned. | IT consultant Paul Dickson, 30, told the court that a man seen beside a burning Mercedes linked to the murder might have been white-skinned. |
| 'View obscured' | 'View obscured' |
| The torched car was seen in a lane in the Hillhead area of Glasgow the night the schoolboy was snatched from a street in Pollokshields. | The torched car was seen in a lane in the Hillhead area of Glasgow the night the schoolboy was snatched from a street in Pollokshields. |
| Mr Dickson said he heard an explosion on 15 March and then described the scene he saw from his window. | Mr Dickson said he heard an explosion on 15 March and then described the scene he saw from his window. |
| "There was one person standing beside the car, maybe another person but the view was obscured by trees," he said. "I could not be sure." | "There was one person standing beside the car, maybe another person but the view was obscured by trees," he said. "I could not be sure." |
| The person, who was a metre away from the blazing car "might have been stoking it with a stick," he added. | The person, who was a metre away from the blazing car "might have been stoking it with a stick," he added. |
| He later told police the person was "a white male" in his late teens or early 20s, about 5ft 8in tall and slim. He was wearing light clothing and had something white on his head, like a cap. | He later told police the person was "a white male" in his late teens or early 20s, about 5ft 8in tall and slim. He was wearing light clothing and had something white on his head, like a cap. |
| Mr Dickson, called as a witness by Imran Shahid's legal team, said his view of the incident was no more than "a snap shot". | Mr Dickson, called as a witness by Imran Shahid's legal team, said his view of the incident was no more than "a snap shot". |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |