A MAN accused of murdering a dog walker in a park admitted that he could have hit her once in a taped phone conversation from the prison where he was being held on remand.

 

Paul Ward made the comments in a recorded phone call from prison.

Police had bugged his family home for a month following the killing of Jean Campbell, 53, in Cranhill Park, Glasgow, on December 2013, but had not come up with anything.

But the 21-year-old was arrested the following July and during a call to his mother from Barlinnie Prison told her that he had been 'hearing stuff' in his head.

He added: "I think I might have hit her once. I don't know. I just can't remember."

The details emerged during an examination of facts into the death Mrs Campbell at the High Court in Glasgow.

Paul Ward, 21, is accused of murdering 53-year-old Mrs Campbell by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a dog lead and by means unknown inflicting further injuries at Cranhill Park, Glasgow, on December 13, 2013.

He is deemed unfit to stand trial and is currently in the State Hospital.

Meanwhile, the court heard how a woman spoke to Mr Ward at a friend's house.

Margaret Callanan, 60, told the court she spoke to him in late March 2014 after rumours swept the area that he was responsible for Mrs Campbell's death.

After asking him directly, she said Mr Ward replied: "No response. He didn't say anything."

Asked if she had said anything else, Mrs Callanan added: "Yes, I said: 'If you didn't murder Jean you must know something about it.' When asked what Mr Ward's reaction was she replied: "No reaction. Head down."

Psychiatrist Dr Isobel Campbell said that Ward told psychiatrists that God had told him to plead guilty.

It was also revealed that Ward's family home was bugged by police for a month and nothing was heard to connect him with the death of Mrs Ward.

Dr Campbell was asked by defence QC Donald Findlay: "What reliance can be put on this conversation with his mother and she replied: "I think it is difficult to put much reliance on the conversation.

Dr Campbell told the court that she had met Ward on a number of occasion and said he is likely to be suffering from a schizophrenic illness.

She said that he was moved from Barlinnie to the State Hospital for treatment last year after displaying increasingly bizarre behaviour.

The court heard that Ward refused to drink water, although he did take Coca Cola, would be mute for days apart from shouting out random words and was convinced that police and prison officers were involved in a conspiracy against him.

The court heard that Ward was reading the Bible so much that the guards took it away from him.

Dr Campbell added: "He also thought his thoughts were being breathed out and other people could access them."

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, asked Dr Campbell: "Knowing what you know about Paul Ward if he had expressed displeasure at the way in which he thought Jean Campbell treated her dog might that lead to a compulsion to do something about it," and she replied: "It is possible."

Lord Matthews asked if Ward was suffering from psychosis and Dr Campbell said: "He is very preoccupied in particular by the religious experiences. He has some quite odd behaviour: licking his fingers. counting out loud and giggles inappropriately."

She told the court he also complains of suffering hallucinatory visions at times when he is trying to sleep.

The hearing before judge Lord Matthews continues.

At the end of the examination of facts he will determine if Mr Ward committed the offence.