Pizza murder 'brutal and savage'

Mr Crispin denies murdering Ms Pachou at the Glasgow pizzeria

The jury in the trial of the man accused of murdering a restaurant manager in Glasgow has been told her death was "brutal and savage".

The claim came in prosecutor Brian McConnachie QC's closing speech at the trial of Juan Carlos Suarez Crispin.

He denies murdering Eleni Pachou, 25, at Di Maggio's pizzeria last May.

Defence QC, Ian Duguid, said cleaner Marion Hinshelwood, who earlier pleaded guilty to culpable homicide, had literally "got away with murder".

In his closing speech Mr McConnachie told the jury at the High Court in Glasgow that Ms Pachou came to Scotland from Greece following the death of her mother.

He said: "What happened to Eleni would be condemned by every right-thinking man or woman."

The QC said the jury had seen photographs and heard evidence about her injuries and he added: "The person who did that to her was incredibly callous; a person thinking only of themselves, and who was immune to the ferocity of the attack which they were carrying out.

If he cannot mould the evidence to suit him, he just makes it up. His whole life is a lie Brian McConnachie QC Prosecution

"Someone so caught up in what they were doing, they were unaware perhaps of the injury they themselves sustained: the injury which would ultimately be their undoing.

Mr McConnachie said the case against Crispin was "circumstantial". He compared the evidence to a jigsaw adding there were enough "pieces" that when put together pointed to Crispin's guilt.

He the jury: "What he has done is to try and mould his position around the evidence.

"If he cannot mould the evidence to suit him, he just makes it up. His whole life is a lie."

The QC also referred to Hinshelwood who has admitted to the culpable homicide of Eleni on the basis she bought the knife.

Mr McConnachie claimed she would have to have been "very cunning and clever" to leave Mr Crispin's blood mixed with Eleni's at the restaurant.

The prosecutor went on: "Quite frankly, Mr Crispin cannot get up from the weight of the evidence.

"Yes, Marion Hinshelwood was involved in this. She was doing this due to her obsession for Mr Crispin.

"One thing he could not persuade her to do, however, was carry out the murder. She was involved, but it was Mr Crispin who carried out the deed."

There is no logical explanation why she is not guilty of murder Ian Duguid QC Defence

However, in his summing up for the defence Ian Duguid QC asked the jury to question all the evidence given by Hinshelwood.

She appeared as a witness for the Crown after pleading guilty to culpable homicide.

The defence QC said she had derived huge benefits from doing so.

He said: "The fact is the prosecution wanted her to stand not in the dock but in the witness box.

"There is no logical explanation why she is not guilty of murder."

Mr Duguid added that Mr Crispin has been in Scotland for 12 years and had never been in trouble.

He said: "He has never committed an offence of violence in his life. "

Mr Duguid also said that Mr Crispin was not in debt. He had £42,000 equity in his home and his mother had won 25,000 euros in 2005.

He told the jury that the Spaniard had no reason to kill Ms Pachou, who was a friend of his, and added that Hinshelwood had a motive.

Ms Pachou was a trainee manager at the restaurant

He went on: "Just think about the injuries this girl suffered. Why would a person in for a robbery need to stab someone 17 times and why would that person strive to facially disfigure her."

Mr Duguid said that Hinshelwood , who practised kick-boxing and was extremely fit, feared that Crispin was going to dump her and take up with Ms Pachou.

Mr Crispin has blamed Hinshelwood for Ms Pachou's death.

He denies, while acting along with Hinshelwood, repeatedly striking Ms Pachou on the head and body with a knife or similar instrument, opening a safe and robbing her of £1,320.25, attempting to open another safe and murdering her.

One of the jurors has been taken to hospital with chest pains, meaning the case will now be decided by a jury of 14 - eight women and six men.

Judge Lord Turnbull will begin his direction to the jury on Tuesday.