Police launched a major search of an Aberdeen parkland over the weekend – just weeks before two men go on trial accused of murdering an Aberdeen dad.
James Chadwick’s battered body was found in his flat on Holland Street last September.
Prosecutors claim a weapon – a dog lead, or similar item – used in the 37-year-old’s alleged beating was disposed of.
And over the weekend, police swooped on a grassy area in Seaton to carry out an extensive search.
The team arrived at the scene, adjacent to King’s Links Golf Course and near Mrs Murray’s Cat and Dog Home, on Friday and throughout the weekend were spotted using rakes, grass strimmers and other gardening tools in their search.
Golfers watched on as officers cut back the vegetation, and carefully combed through the taped-off area close to the sixth tee.
Yesterday, a police spokeswoman said: “Officers are currently searching an area of Aberdeen in relation to the murder of James Chadwick in Holland Street in September 2015.
“Two men, aged 30 and 31, were arrested and charged in connection with his death at that time.”
Ryan Gibb, 30, and Cameron Laurie, 31, both deny murdering Mr Chadwick, and are due to go on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh later this month.
The charge alleges that Mr Chadwick, who was originally from the north of England, but had lived in Aberdeen for several years, was repeatedly struck with a dog lead or similar item.
Prosecutors also allege he was punched, pushed, kicked and stamped on.
The pair also face a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice, after allegedly reporting a male had been attacked elsewhere in Holland Street. It also alleges the dog lead was disposed of.
They are also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Mr Chadwick was discovered at his home on September 9, after worried family members raised the alarm because they had not heard from him.
Initially, officers did not believe his death was suspicious but a post-mortem prompted the force’s major investigation team to launch a murder inquiry.
The dockyard labourer’s death certificate revealed he had died from a “blunt force head injury”.
The last reported sighting of him was at his local corner shop on Hutcheon Street on August 31, and as police tried to piece together his final movements using CCTV, they appealed for anyone who had seen him to come forward.
Mr Chadwick, who has a son living in the north-east, was a popular man who was well known around Aberdeen. His family described his death as a “great shock”, while friends at the Market Arms in Hadden Street, where he was a regular, said he was “one of a kind”.
