Marmion murder trial widow speaks

Alex McKinnon died after the incident at the Marmion pub

A widow has told a murder trial how she arrived at an Edinburgh pub for a night out to find her husband had been shot.

Louisa McKinnon, 31, cried as she spoke of the moment her husband, Alexander McKinnon, was being taken to hospital.

Mrs McKinnon was the first witness in the trial at the High Court in Edinburgh of three men accused of killing her husband with a shotgun.

James Bain, 22, Richard Cosgrove, 21, and Bernard Young, 19, deny charges relating to the death.

I got out the car. I ran over to the pub Louisa McKinnon

The three men also deny attempting to murder Mr McKinnon's brother-in-law James Hendry at the pub on 22 April.

It is alleged that they shot him to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.

Mrs McKinnon said her husband had gone to the Marmion pub and she joined him later that evening after a finding a baby-sitter for her two young children, aged 10 and five.

She told the jury she later left the pub, where her brother and husband were still socialising, but decided to return shortly afterwards with a friend.

Emergency services

When she arrived, she saw an ambulance and police officers.

"I got out the car. I ran over to the pub," the witness told the court, adding that she was prevented from going too close by officers.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice asked who she understood had been taken into the ambulance.

The witness said: "My husband Alec and my brother James."

Mrs McKinnon and other family members went to the hospital, but she was told that her husband had died in the early hours of Sunday morning, the court heard.

"Just within a few hours of him being taken to hospital?" asked Mr Prentice.

"That's correct," replied the witness, adding that she also learnt her brother was seriously ill.

Punching and kicking

The three accused also face charges relating to firearms offences.

Mr Bain is also accused of assaulting Dionne Hendry to her injury by punching and kicking her, butting her on the face, biting her thumb and arm, placing a knife at her throat and dragging her down a flight of stairs on 22 April, 2006.

Mr Cosgrove and Mr Bain also face one charge of supplying cocaine.

They deny the charges.

The trial, which is expected to last five weeks, is being held before Lord Uist.