A WOMAN has claimed she was assaulted by the man accused of murdering her daughter.

Margaret Cruikshanks, 71, was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow where Edward Cairney, 77, and Avril Jones, 59. deny murdering Margaret Fleming at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000.

Margaret, who would now be 38, has allegedly not been seen for more than 19 years.
Miss Cruikshanks told prosecutor Iain McSporran QC that Margaret's father lawyer Derek Fleming, who had cared for her, died in October 1995.

She said: “After Derek died they were at the funeral. Eddie Cairney came and approached me and said if I needed any help with Margaret he would give me respite care.”

The QC then said: “Was Mr Cairney a stranger to you,” and he replied: “Yes, he was actually.”

She told the court the last time she saw her daughter at Seacroft was on November 26, 1997, when she was summoned there by a call from Cairney.

READ MORE: Margaret Fleming: Carers go on trial for her murder two decades after she was last seen

Miss Cruikshanks sobbed as she told the jury: “When I got there I said wanted Margaret to come home. He started to assault me. He banged me up against a wardrobe and threw me over a chair and said he wanted me out of the house and he spat in my face. It was a surprise.”

The witness claimed that Jones was in the room when the allegedly assault took place. She said that Margaret was in her attic bedroom.

Margaret was then brought downstairs and asked where she wanted to live.

READ MORE: Site of Margaret Fleming murder investigation wanted by housing developers

Her mother said: “I think she was a bit nervous and she turned round and said she wanted to stay there. There was nothing I could do about it.”

She cried as she told the court: “ As far as I knew that was where she was living. I didn't visit any more. I got a letter. It said she didn't want to see me any more.”

Cairney and Jones are accused of defrauding £182,000 in benefits and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by claiming Margaret was alive.

They deny all the charges against them.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.

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