The former girlfriend of a north-east murder suspect has been asked why she didn’t run away from him if he was as violent as she claimed.
Gary Crossan is accused of murdering Malcolm “Raggie” Wright in Peter Buchan Drive in Peterhead on January 26 this year.
The 31-year-old is also accused of a string of other charges including earlier assaults and attempted murder against the same man.
Lynsey McKeachan, his former partner, claimed earlier in the trial at Aberdeen High Court that, a week before the alleged incident, he attacked her while the pair were having a weekend away at Meldrum House Hotel.
She claimed they got there on Friday evening and, while they were drunk, he pinned her against the floor.
But yesterday, defence counsel Shelagh McCall asked her why she hadn’t run away from him afterwards.
She said: “After the incident, did you go outside for a cigarette?”
Miss McKeachan replied that she had.
Miss McCall then asked: “If what you are describing happened, why did you not go and get help?”
Miss McKeachan replied: “Because I was scared.”
Miss McCall said: “The next morning when you got up, you had your car there – you could have driven away and left him.”
Miss McKeachan replied: “Yes.”
She was then asked about what happened in the following week before the death of Mr Wright.
Miss McCall asked: “Did you stay overnight at Peter Buchan Drive that week?”
Miss McKeachan said: “Yes.”
Miss McCall followed that up by inquiring whether her two children stayed at Crossan’s home that week.
Miss McKeachan said: “I don’t know.”
Later in the day, she was asked questions about the events of January 25 and 26.
The court heard earlier in the trial that she gave Mr Wright and Crossan a lift back from the Grange Inn pub late at night and left the property after an argument between the two men.
Miss McCall asked if she was aware of Mr Wright having photos of her bank card and driving licence on his phone.
She denied knowing this.
Miss McCall subsequently asked: “When you were in the kitchen alone with him, did you have an argument with him?”
Miss McKeachan replied: “No, I had nothing to argue with him about.”
Miss McCall asked: “Did you push or punch Raggie?”
She denied that she had.
Crossan denies all the charges against him.
The trial continues.