Deceased/Not Found UK - Margaret Fleming, 19, Inverclyde, Scotland, 17 Dec 1999 *Guilty*

[Legally Bland]

Boooo, LB!! Do you think the abduction and murder charges might stick? Is circumstantial (or lack of) evidence enough?

I think the police have something. Some of the details are quite specific, but I'm not sure they've found a body. Maybe evidence of a body being present (the soil experts)?

Is this new or have I forgotten/missed it?

Cairney is also accused of assaulting Margaret Cruikshanks on November 26, 1997, at Seacroft by pushing her against furniture, knocking her to the ground, placing his hands round her neck, compressing her throat, threatening her with violence and repeatedly spitting on her face.

Pair on trial accused of murdering Margaret Fleming

 

[Antonia]

I think the police have something. Some of the details are quite specific, but I'm not sure they've found a body. Maybe evidence of a body being present (the soil experts)?

Is this new or have I forgotten/missed it?

Yes, that's definitely new to me, too. That's scary, but hopefully helps the case against them.

 

[bluebird69]

Who is Margaret Cruikshanks? I wonder if that should read Margaret Fleming ? Otherwise this could be very interesting

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Who is Margaret Cruikshanks? I wonder if that should read Margaret Fleming ? Otherwise this could be very interesting

Cairney's first wife was called Margaret. I think she and Cairney ran the pub, Avril worked for them and the affair started, this was late 1980's and Margaret has since died. Not sure if she was Cruikshank though, or if she was around in 1997. Strange.

 

[Legally Bland]

The first witnesses to give evidence in the trial were scene examiners who took photographs of Seacroft cottage.

William Ward, 61, and Petra Sharp, 48, documented the property and surrounding area.

Mr Ward was at the scene on the evening of November 1, 2016, while Ms Sharp carried out work from November 2, 2016 until March 2017.

Their photographs, which were shown to the jury, showed a house which was “full of clutter”.

Thomas Ross QC, representing Cairney, asked Ms Sharp whether it was possible to exit the building from the front and rear to get to the nearby road, as well as to the foreshore, and she agreed that it was.

Trial begins of pair accused of murdering woman `last... | Daily Mail Online

 

[Legally Bland]

The jury was shown photographs of the ground floor, including two bedrooms.

Although cluttered with junk each contained a made up bed.

But two rooms upstairs were almost completely filled with books, boxes and tins.

Asked by prosecutor Iain McSporran QC what the upstairs rooms were like, Mr Ward replied: "Just filled with items."

The witness said there was no obvious sign that anyone was using them as a bedroom and there was no bed or bedding.

Referring to the state of the house, the prosecutor asked Mr Ward: "Have you ever seen anything quite like it?"

He replied: "No."

Two on trial over murder of missing woman

 

[JerricaBenton]

OK guys. Before listening to the evidence (if someone bothers reporting it!!) what do you

a) want the verdict to be?
b) think it will actually be?
c) reckon they might each get sentenced if found guilty?

I really don't know! If they killed or harmed her, then I want them found guilty and suitably punished.

 

[JerricaBenton]

Thanks for updating with the new info guys.

 

[bluebird69]

I remember doing a scotlands people search when ex wife was being discussed see post #443 surname was pattison not cruikshanks imo this new name is a total mystery

 

[Ironside]

Could Margaret Cruickshanks be Margaret Flemings mother perhaps? It would explain why there was no contact with Margaret and her family when she was living Avril and Eddie, perhaps her family were totally terrified of him/them?

 

[JerseyGirl]

Two on trial over murder of missing woman

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I've messaged STV News to ask who Margaret Cruikshanks is, and also to ask whether they plan to have a reporter covering this trial in court. I'll update when/if I hear back.

 

[Ironside]

I think it will certainly come out who MC is, today was just the prosecution summing up what they are accused of. When the MC evidence is heard the relationship to the twits will have to be stated.

Doubt you'll even get a reply tonight Cags, STV News all seem to go home by 7pm.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I think it will certainly come out who MC is, today was just the prosecution summing up what they are accused of. When the MC evidence is heard the relationship to the twits will have to be stated.

Doubt you'll even get a reply tonight Cags, STV News all seem to go home by 7pm.

Well you say that, but surprisingly my message was read instantly at 8:14pm. Not replied to though!! Maybe it was the office cleaner.

 

[Ironside]

Well you say that, but surprisingly my message was read instantly at 8:14pm. Not replied to though!! Maybe it was the office cleaner.

Cags you just got patched!

(I don't actually know where the phrase comes from but in Scotland if you get "patched" it means you've been ignored)

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Cags you just got patched!

(I don't actually know where the phrase comes from but in Scotland if you get "patched" it means you've been ignored)

Ha, not heard that before! They had better un-patch me tomorrow or I'll... I'll... probably do nothing.

 

[jiminy]

Surely the Beeb will be there. Given they got the interview and this is a very unusual case, I have no doubt they'll be planning to stitch together a documentary about this.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Surely the Beeb will be there. Given they got the interview and this is a very unusual case, I have no doubt they'll be planning to stitch together a documentary about this.

BBC report seems to have just copied STVs so I'm not sure. Still not a lot on Twitter that I can find. are there any other local rags we should be looking at?

 

[jiminy]

The Greenock Telegraph and the Daily Record are the most likely, I think.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

STV replied. They don’t know who Margaret Cruikshanks is, they are just following the charge sheet but believe it’s a separate person. And yes they will be covering the case.

Consider the Cags unpatched!!