Arlene 'killed out of greed'

Arlene and Nat Fraser on their wedding day

Nat Fraser killed his wife out of greed, the High Court in Edinburgh has been told.

The Elgin businessman was told to give up the "futile hope" that he could avoid responsibility for the death of 33-year-old Arlene.

Advocate depute Alan Turnbull QC, for the prosecution, ended his cross examination by claiming Mr Fraser had also destroyed the lives of his wife's family.

Mr Turnbull said: "The evidence in this case Mr Fraser, makes it perfectly plain that you were responsible for the death of your wife."

Don't you think, Mr Fraser, it is now time, having been through all that, you have to give up this futile hope that you can still avoid responsibility for what you did

Alan Turnbull QC

But Mr Fraser, on his second day in the witness box, replied: "I wasn't."

Mr Fraser denied prosecution claims he had removed rings from his dead wife's body and put them back into their home in Elgin.

The fruit and veg wholesaler also repeated his claim that witness Hector Dick had lied about him, to walk away from a murder charge.

Mr Turnbull suggested Mr Fraser was trying to explain away everything as lies or coincidences which meant nothing.

He said: "The truth, of course, Mr Fraser, is that Hector Dick did stand by you for a number of years and he stopped doing so when it became perfectly clear you would be prepared to see him go to trial for the murder of your wife, rather than admit responsibility."

Mr Fraser replied: "That is a lie."

Mr Turnbull continued: "The truth is that you have done a terrible thing. You have taken the life of the woman you promised to live with for ever.

"You have done more than that as you have destroyed the lives of your wife's own family."

Mr Fraser repeated his denial: "No I haven't"

Mr Turnbull told him: "And you have done more than that. You have taken from your own children the life of their mother - all for greed and a wee bit of money."

Nat Fraser has denied killing his wife

Mr Fraser replied: "No."

Mr Turnbull added: "Don't you think, Mr Fraser, it is now time, having been through all that, you have to give up this futile hope that you can still avoid responsibility for what you did."

Mr Fraser said: "I never did anything."

Later, there was a clash of evidence provided by Mr Dick and veteran detectives involved in the search for Mrs Fraser.

Mr Dick, 46, denied telling Detective Chief Inspector Ian Japp and Detective Sergeant Bob Mackay in 1999 that Mrs Fraser's body might be recoverable.

Mr Dick had been accused of conspiring to murder Mrs Fraser in April or early May 1998, along with Mr Fraser.

However, the charge was dropped earlier in the trial and Mr Dick returned to court to give evidence against Mr Fraser.

Mr Dick was recalled on Monday to answer questions about voluntary statements he made while facing a charge of obstructing police enquiries into the disappearance.

Hector Dick: Allegations of lying

Mr Dick was asked about a conversation with detectives while on remand in Inverness Prison.

This was mainly about boot-legging activities in the area and the effect a Customs and Excise investigation might have on his family.

Mr McBride asked: "Did you say to the police: 'I know what you are after. The car is 70% gettable and the body 50%'."

Mr Dick denied this.

However, Mr Japp said he was "very clear" the words were used, and he had scribbled the comment down on a piece of paper.

Detective Sergeant Bob Mackay - now retired after 22 years as a detective and eight years in uniform - described lengthy interviews with Mr Dick in which he told "a pack of lies" about buying the Fiesta.

However, eventually Mr Dick confessed his involvement in obtaining the vehicle and disposing of it later.

Whispering threats

It was a "significant breakthrough" in the Arlene Fraser inquiry, said Mr Mackay.

Asked by Mr McBride if Mr Dick's courtroom claim that he had been threatened was "a bare-faced lie" Mr Mackay said: "I did not threaten Mr Dick at any time."

Mr Mackay also denied whispering threats to Mr Dick during a car journey between Elgin police station and Inverness Prison in June 2001 when the farmer was serving a sentence for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

"Who is the liar?" asked Mr McBride. "It is not me," replied Mr Mackay.

He told the court he had also heard the remark made earlier to Mr Japp about the car being obatainable.

"I would never forget that," he said.

The trial continues.