World’s End murder trial shown pictures of bodies

Photographs of the bodies of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie and the ligatures used on them were shown on the third day of the trial of Angus Sinclair at the High Court in Livingston.

Sinclair, 69, has pleaded not guilty to assaulting, raping and murdering the 17-year-olds between October 15 and 16 1977 between the World’s End pub in Edinburgh and locations in East Lothian.

The court was shown photographs taken by Peter Gardiner, who worked for the identification branch of Lothian and Borders Police at the time of the murders. Mr Gardiner’s evidence was filmed and shown on a video to the court.

The pictures showed the body of Ms Scott, who was found in a field at Coates Farm, East Lothian, face down, wearing a coat, with her wrists bound behind her back.

Ms Eadie was found several miles away at Gosford Sands.

Asked by Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland, prosecuting, about how careful police officers were in 1977 in handling scenes of crime, Mr Gardiner said: “Well, we weren’t as careful as they are now because the whole issue has moved on.

“But certain care was taken not to contaminate the scene and to make sure everything was bagged properly and the correct procedures at that time were undertaken.”

The court later heard from Allan Dixon, 56, the boyfriend of Ms Scott at the time of the murders.

Mr Dixon told the court he had been in a relationship with Ms Scott for around two years, after they had met in Coldstream, in the Borders, where her aunt lived. Ms Scott was aged between 15 and 16 when they met, while Mr Dixon was between 17 and 18.

Asked by Mr Mulholland if the relationship was physical, Mr Dixon replied: “There was no sex involved.”

Sinclair has submitted three special defences of incrimination - blaming his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, now dead; alibi - saying he was fishing on the banks of the Firth of Forth near Cockenzie power station at the time; and consent to sexual intercourse.

The trial, before judge Lord Matthews, continues.