Woods murder trial defence closes

The court heard there was no evidence linking the victim to taxis

The defence lawyer in the Templeton Woods murder trial has urged the jury to find Vincent Simpson not guilty.

In his closing speech at the High Court in Edinburgh, Mark Stewart QC said there was little evidence against the taxi driver.

The body of Elizabeth McCabe was found in Dundee's Templeton Woods in February 1980.

Mr Simpson, 61, from Camberley in Surrey, denies killing the nursery nurse and claims he has an alibi.

Mr Stewart told the court a police "obsession" with taxi drivers led them to accuse the wrong man of strangling Ms McCabe and they mistakenly believed a serial killer was at work.

That was because the bodies of two women, including Ms McCabe, were found strangled in Templeton Woods in the space of 10 months.

He said: "Police embarked on and persisted in an investigation that - as far as Elizabeth McCabe's death was concerned - an investigation that was fundamentally and permanently flawed."

They had thought that the earlier victim, Carol Lannen, had last been seen talking to the driver of a red taxi.

'Completely blind-sided'

Mr Stewart said: "After Elizabeth McCabe's death they were still obsessed with taxi drivers and red-coloured cars.

"To this day, prosecution and police in this investigation have failed to lift their eyes above that image.

"Their investigation has been completely blind-sided by their attempts to force what few facts they have discovered into that false premise that a car features in the last living journey made by Elizabeth McCabe."

Vincent Simpson denies killing Elizabeth McCabe

Mr Stewart also criticised police for ignoring other potential suspects and said there was a difference between them and Mr Simpson.

"Vincent Simpson had the misfortune to have material with his DNA on it taken possession of by police at the time."

He claimed DNA partly matching Mr Simpson's profile, found on the jumper draped over Ms McCabe's body, got there because items of evidence were badly stored.

"They would have been better taking a blender, putting it all in and firing it up," said the lawyer.

"The DNA originated from Mr Simpson. Where it originated from is one question but it gives no clue to the question in this case: How did it get where it was found?"

Mr Stewart continued: "Contamination in this case, ladies and gentlemen, is a real and live issue.

"I think, ladies and gentlemen, there is ample evidence of contamination but I don't have to prove it. The Crown have to negate it."

The trial continues with a verdict expected this week.