A RETIRED detective was threatened with prison for perjury during dramatic developments at the Elaine Doyle murder trial yesterday.

It came as defence QC Donald Findlay accused police of conducting a ‘cover-up’ over the inquiry into Elaine’s death.

The man giving evidence, John O’Neill, 61, was subsequently told by Judge Lord Stewart that he would not be released from his duty as a witness — and that an investigation may have to be carried out in light of what he had said.

The heated exchanges came at the High Court in Edinburgh when Mr Findlay again accused Strathclyde Police of trying to cover up a botched investigation more than 27 years ago.

Mr O’Neill, who retired in 2007 after 30 years of police service, was one of the first detective constables on the scene when Elaine’s body was found in a lane off Ardgowan Street on 2 June 1986.

Like other officers who have given evidence at the trial he was questioned at length about whether Elaine’s body was covered with a police issue ‘prisoner blanket’.

In a statement in June 2012 Mr O’Neill had told officers: “I do recall the idea being discussed at the locus that Elaine should be covered up to prevent people looking out of their tenements and seeing the deceased.” But in the witness box yesterday, Mr O’Neill said he was not so sure.

He claimed a later visit by officers — some time last year — had ‘sowed doubts in my mind’.

Asked by advocate depute John Scullion, prosecuting, if he had seen Elaine covered with a blanket, Mr O’Neill replied. “I cannot remember that. I am just not sure any more.” Mr O’Neill did not know whether the detectives he spoke to last year had taken a statement — but the trial heard that neither Crown or defence had seen any such document.

When his turn to question Mr O’Neill came, Mr Findlay demanded to know: “Who has ordered the cover-up and for what?” The lawyer continued: “When you mention the blanket on the body, amnesia flows through the veins like a disease.” It was, Mr Findlay claimed ‘an obnoxious pantomime’ because those in charge had realised the murder investigation had been compromised from the start and the police blanket had contaminated the crime scene.

Mr Findlay threatened the witness: “If you are lying about any of this, in your worst nightmares you cannot imagine what I will drop on your head from a great height.” Mr O’Neill was handed a book of photos and the lawyer challenged him: “Look at it. Elaine Doyle’s body lying naked on a mortuary slab waiting for a pathologist to cut it up, desecrate it in the way these things happen.

“Look at it, a 16-year-old girl lying dead on a mortuary slab. Now tell me the truth. Have you no shame, sir?” Mr O’Neill replied: “Of course I have.” But the former policeman continued to insist that, whatever he had said in his earlier statement, he was now confused after last year’s visit.

Mr Findlay called him a liar and a coward and also challenged him about his statement linked to the finding of a partly-burned handbag on the steps of the James Watt library in Greenock’s Union Street — which appeared to have been written by another officer.

He said: “Can you imagine the consequences for a man like you of going to prison for perjury?” Mr O’Neill had described the marks on Elaine’s neck and thought they had been made by a ligature — possibly a leather belt or a dog lead.

Mr Findlay asked why he could remember that but not be clear about the blanket.

He added: “It is part of a corrupt police cover-up.” Mr O’Neill replied: “I cannot go with you on that, Mr Findlay “I don’t think there is any cover-up at all, sir.” The retired detective said he had no reason to lie, adding: “It is part of my life that is done and dusted and gone.” After the confrontation, Lord Stewart told Mr O’Neill he had raised a matter which merited further investigation and would not be released from his witness citation as a result.

The judge said: “It might be a matter which needs to be further clarified.” Accused John Docherty, 49, denies murder, claiming he was at home with his parents at the time he is alleged to have stripped and strangled Elaine.

Docherty has also lodged a special defence of incrimination and claimed the culprit might be among a list of 41 names taken from files of the police investigation into the murder.

The trial continues.