THE Margaret Fleming murder trial was deserted yesterday as it prepared to move into its second day.
Proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow against Eddie Cairney and Avril Jones - who deny killing the missing Inverkip woman - came to a sudden halt after it emerged that a juror was sick.
It meant that the case had to be deserted, with a whole new jury having to be selected.
The case is expected to restart today, with the trial expected to last over a month.
Cairney and Jones both deny abducting Margaret, locking her in a room, assaulting her and binding her arms and wrists with tape on various occasions between November 1997 and January 2000.
They have also pleaded not guilty to pretending to Department for Work and Pensions officials that Ms Fleming was alive, claiming benefits for her and obtaining £182,000 by fraud.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article