Kiesha Donaghy murder trial at Edinburgh High Court hears Elgin neighbour’s testimony

A neighbour of a woman found murdered in her own home heard shouts of 'no', 'no', 'no' coming from the downstairs property, a court has heard.

Jacqueline Grant lived in a flat above Lucretia Donaghy, known as Kiesha, when she heard sounds of arguing on November 15, 2023.

The 59-year-old was giving evidence at the trial of Owen Grant at the High Court in Edinburgh today (Tuesday, May 20).

Grant is accused of assaulting Ms Donaghy and repeatedly striking her on the head and body with an unknown object.

She died after sustaining blunt force head injuries. The 43-year-old has denied murder.

Witness Jacqueline Grant stated that she was at home at the time and a friend was visiting her.

She said: "We heard a lot of arguing and shouting downstairs."

The sound of a thud was heard, she said, adding: "I knew it was somebody falling on the floor because it had happened before."

The noise was coming from Kiesha's flat: "I think there was a time she was shouting 'no', 'no', 'no'."

The neighbour's dog was barking and growling, the 59-year-old went on. She added: "Obviously there was somebody there that he didn't like.

"The argument was going on for a while. It seemed like a while, it probably wasn't.”

She said she heard Kiesha's voice but could not hear what was being said. She told the court: "I just got the 'no','no','no'. "

She could not say what the argument was about.

She later heard the dog pining and contacted a friend of Kiesha's, who had a key for the downstairs flat, before the dead woman was discovered.

Detective Sergeant Lynsey McLean said that when she went to the deceased's flat at 79 Anderson Drive in Elgin, its front door was undamaged with no sign of forced entry.

She was shown photographs taken at the address and said that in one there was a passport. She said the passport was in the name of an Owen Grant.

She also saw a box on a counter top in the kitchen with a label on it with the same name.

The officer said the deceased was lying face down in a bedroom with her knees up towards her chest

The trial before judge Lord Scott continues.