Dick denied he visited Arlene
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A MAN who once stood trial for the murder of Arlene Fraser denied he had a reason for visiting her home on the day she disappeared.
Farmer Hector Dick (56), was accused of lying about his side-line - selling bootleg booze - as he gave evidence for a sixth day at the High Court in Edinburgh.
On trial is fruit and veg wholesaler Nat Fraser (53), who denies murdering His estranged wife 14 years ago and claims Mr Dick could be the real killer.
The jury heard that in January 2003 Mr Dick stood trial for the murder. The charge was dropped and Mr Dick went on to give evidence against Fraser.
Defence QC John Scott today questioned Mr Dick about differences between his evidence nine years ago and what he had said over the past week.
They crossed over visits Mr Dick made to the house in Smith Street, Elgin, in April 1998.
The police believed the farmer of Mosstowie, near Elgin, was making "a reconnaisance" when he sat in his burgundy Ford Sierra, parked in Arlene’s driveway exactly a week before she vanished.
In a series of interviews over the years murder hunt detectives have suggested Mr Dick went back three days later, to see if he would be welcomed into the house by Arlene.
Mr Dick told the trial he tried to call on Tuesday April 21 to deliver bootleg vodka, got no answer, and dozed off while waiting to see if Arlene returned home.
He said he took the vodka to Smith Street on Friday April 24 and had a cup of tea with Arlene - but she had changed her mind and wanted red wine instead, but he never got to deliver it.
Mr Scott challenged: "If she asked you for wine on the 24th and you got it for her on the 25th, you are refusing to say it makes sense for you to drop it off on Tuesday 28th."
Mr Dick said he had no idea where he was on the Saturday.
"You wouldn’t admit that now, for rather obvious reasons," Mr Scott accused. "That is not correct," Mr Dick told him.
Fraser has lodged papers in court claiming that 14 years ago on April 28 he left the address in Burnside Road, Lhanbryde, where he was staying at about 7.30am and spent the day making van deliveries to hotels, restaurants and shops - pausing to make a phone call just after 9am.
