A POLICE officer claimed that a man accused of killing missing Margaret Fleming told him: “This is going to end up in a murder charge.”

Constable Jonathan Gilmour told the High Court in Glasgow that Edward Cairney made the comment after he and a colleague went to Seacroft in Inverkip looking for Margaret.

PC Gilmour was giving evidence at the trial of Cairney, 77, and Avril Jones, 58, who deny murdering Margaret when she was 19 at the home they shared at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000.

He told prosecutor Iain McSporran QC that they were asked to investigate on October 28, 2016, after a social worker had been unable to contact Margaret and had raised concerns.

Mr McSporran asked the officer: “Did you say why you were there,” and he replied: “There was concern for the female and I was told she had not been seen for some time – 18 years was what I was told.”

The police officer told the jury that the door was answered by Jones who claimed that Margaret and Cairney were out. He said that when Cairney joined them he said they had been to Wemyss Bay.

PC Gilmore told the jury that Cairney claimed that Margaret had been scared by the police presence and run off.

He said that as they questioned the pair Cairney became more and more irate and angry.

PC Gilmour said: “He became increasingly agitated about our presence. He said you know where this is going don’t you Avril. This is going to end up in a murder charge.”

It was suggested by defence QC Thomas Ross, defending Cairney that he never said this.

The jury heard that items allegedly belonging to Margaret were found in Seacroft.

These were a tartan jumper found in a cupboard in the hall, a blue t-shirt found in a room upstairs which was filled with clutter, some socks and a toy penguin, which Jones said was Margaret’s favourite toy.

Mr McSporran asked the police officer: “What did Avril Jones say when you took the socks away,” and he replied: “She said: ‘No, I don’t have any socks.”

The prosecutor asked: “Did you challenge her about this,” and he replied: “She said that they shared pairs of socks.”

Cairney and Jones deny murdering Margaret by means unknown. They also deny claiming £182,000 in benefits fraud by pretending she was alive.

The trial before Lord Matthews continues.