Witness accused of lying in court

Mr McAlroy was shot outside his home

The girlfriend of a murder accused has supported his alibi defence at the High Court in Glasgow.

Ann Ross, 47, said she was with William Gage on the evening in March 2002 when he allegedly shot Justin McAlroy, from Cambuslang.

Mr Gage, 32, has denied murdering Mr McAlroy and setting fire to a car in Easterhouse, Glasgow, in an attempt to destroy evidence.

However, the QC prosecuting the case accused his girlfriend of lying.

At the time of his death, Mr McAlroy was being investigated for drug dealing.

He was shot in the head and body outside his four- bedroomed home in Acacia Way, Cambuslang, on 7 March, 2002. He died in the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, the next day.

Diary evidence

During the trial, Miss Ross told Mr Gage's solicitor advocate, Jim Keegan, that she kept a personal diary which showed that on 7 March, 2002, Mr Gage, 32, was in her company at a time when the prosecution claim he murdered 28-year-old McAlroy.

She told Mr Keegan that her boyfriend picked her up in his car between 1930 and 2000 GMT to go for a run to Bowling.

On the return journey they stopped to look at some houses and estate agency windows before going to the Hogshead pub in Woodlands Road, Glasgow, for a drink.

Mr Gage, she claimed, dropped her off at her home between 2300 and 2315.

The trial has already heard that Mr McAlroy was shot at about 2200 GMT.

The trial is being held at Glasgow High Court

Cross examined by Alan MacKay, prosecuting, Miss Ross admitted that when she was interviewed by police about Mr Gage's movements on the night of the alleged murder she told them what was in her diary, but did not give it to them because the police did not ask for it.

She said that two weeks later she handed the diary to her solicitor from whose office it was retrieved just a fortnight ago.

Mr MacKay asked: "Are we to take it that this diary which could have established a man's innocence sat in a solicitor's after lying there for one and a half years?"

She replied: "Yes, but the police knew where it was."

When Mr MacKay suggested that her evidence was untrue, Miss Ross replied: "Why would I do that?"

Mr MacKay told her: "There are two possibilities. Either you put the entry in the wrong date or you are lying. What you did was to try and get Mr Gage out of trouble and that is what you have been doing ever since.

"He was not with you on 7 March and he certainly wasn't with you about 2200 GMT."

Miss Ross replied: "He was. I can only say again, why would I do it?"

The trial before Lord Emslie continues.