A MAN accused of murdering missing woman Margaret Fleming has been freed from custody.

Eddie Cairney was today released on bail, following the collapse of the trial against him and co-accused Avril Jones a day earlier.

Bail was granted on condition that he does not approach any witnesses.

Meanwhile it was confirmed that the Crown intends to re-indict the case, with a new trial mooted for the spring.

Today's proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow took a bizarre turn when court staff could not bring Cairney into the building.

Instead, he sat in a van in the car park - after Greenock Prison removed the wheelchair he had been using throughout the trial.

His co-accused Jones was in court for the hearing, although she did not apply for bail.

Judge Lord Matthews said: “I'm staggered that the Scottish Prison Service think it appropriate to remove the wheelchair Mr Cairney has been using all this time.

"I want an explanation.”

Defence QC Thomas Ross said: "Since Mr Cairney was fully committed he became the responsibility of the Scottish Prison Service.

"When he was leaving Greenock Prison this morning the prison withdrew his wheelchair from him.

"The reason given was that it was expected that he would be granted bail and they were presumably concerned they wouldn't get their wheelchair back.

“They somehow managed to get him into the van at the prison, but G4S can't get him out this side."

The court was told that there are no wheelchair facilities at the High Court.

Mr Ross added: “Mr Cairney is very angry and frustrated by this.

"He was encouraged to walk from the van and he believes he is incapable of doing this."

Prosecutor Iain McSporran QC told the court that the Crown would not oppose bail for Avril Jones if she changes her mind and applies for it. Meantime she remains in custody.

He added: “The Crown does intend to re-indict this case.

"A trial might take place in April next year.

"That is the current intention.”

Cairney and Jones deny murdering Margaret at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, or elsewhere in Scotland between December 1999 and January 2000.