Dick - 'I am a liar not a killer'
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A MAN who once stood trial for the murder of Arlene Fraser admitted today that he was a liar with "something to hide" - but denied he was a killer.
Nat Fraser (53), denies arranging for a hit-man to strangle his estranged wife 14 years ago and has lodged papers in court blaming Hector Dick (56).
Under questioning from Fraser’s defence QC, Mr Dick denied he was Arlene’s killer.
At the end of an exhausting four days of questions, Mr Scott accused Mr Dick of being the real killer.
"Nat Fraser did not kill Arlene Fraser and nor did he tell you that he did," said the lawyer.
"He surely did," insisted Mr Dick.
Mr Scott continued: "The obvious conclusion from all this and from your persistent lies is that you killed Arlene Fraser."
Mr Dick replied: "Not correct."
The two men were once good friends and Mr Dick invited Fraser to be best man at his wedding.
For a second time, farmer Mr Dick has stood in the same witness box at the High Court in Edinburgh to tell how Fraser confessed his hit-man plan.
The jury has heard how Mr Dick of Mosstowie, near Elgin, began a trial in January 2003 in the dock, then gave evidence for the prosecution when cleared of a charge of murdering 33-year-old mum-of-two Arlene.
Mr Dick also claims that during conversations which made him "frightened and apprehensive" Fraser spoke of cleaning up after the assassin, burning Arlene’s body and scattering the ashes, along with her ground up teeth.
The farmer has faced detailed questioning from defence QC John Scott about statements made to detectives, prosecutors and the evidence heard by another jury nine years ago.
Mr Dick has admitted that over the years he has told lies and that for more than 18 months he refused to tell police what he knew about a missing Ford Fiesta car, which they thought might hold the key to Arlene’s abduction and murder.
The trial has heard how back in 2001, Mr Dick served six months of a 12 month jail sentence for lying about the Fiesta, after halting a trial by admitting a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Questioning Mr Dick for a second time, advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, asked Mr Dick if he had "positively deceived the police."
"That is correct," Mr Dick admitted.
Mr Prentice continued: "You did that because you had something to hide - put simply, that is correct, isn’t it?" Mr Dick agreed.
Mr Prentice continued: "It is suggested to you that without any knowledge, instigation, instruction or encouragement from Nat Fraser you killed a 33-year-old young woman, mother of two children and wife of your best man."
The prosecutor said that Fraser had been at Mr Dick’s home at Wester Hillside Farm when Mr Dick had bought the Ford Fiesta from a local second-hand car dealer.
"So if you had been planning to do away with his wife, would that be sensible, to commence some of the planning some of the planning when Mr Fraser was in the house?"
Mr Dick told him "No."
Mr Scott has suggested that Hector Dick had a better chance of disposing of Arlene’s body than Fraser.
The lawyer recalled that Mr Dick had once joked to police that Fraser was "a toonser" who would not venture more than 200 yards from a road, and not a real country dweller.
He was used to burning or burying dead animals on his land, said Mr Scott, and had buried wrecked cars at Wester Hillside Farm in the past.
The trial has also heard that during a search police had shown an interest in pig feeding machinery.
"You had equipment that could be used on a human body," said Mr Scott.
"It had been out of commission for a year," replied Mr Dick.
He also denied he had been as close to Fraser as some had claimed. "He wasn’t much interested in pigs and I wasn’t interested in bananas," he once said.
Fruit and veg wholesaler Fraser is accused of attacking wife Arlene between April 28 and May 7, 1998 at the home they once shared in Smith Street, New Elgin, or elsewhere in Scotland.
It is alleged that he strangled her or murdered her "by other means to the prosecutor unknown."
The indictment against Fraser says he knew Arlene had seen a solicitor about divorcing him and getting a cash pay-off.
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.
Fraser also claims that if mum-of-two Arlene was murdered, as prosecutors claim, the man responsible could be Hector Dick of Mosstowie, Elgin.
The trial continues...
