Prosecution allege "controlling" Fraser killed Arlene
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ARLENE Fraser was murdered because she tried to leave has possessive, controlling husband, a trial was told today.
But Nat Fraser (53) didn’t kill her, said advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting. He got someone else to do it for him.
A five week-trial at the High Court in Edinburgh has heard how mum-of two Arlene (33) vanished from her Elgin home on April 28 1998.
There have been no credible sightings of her since and no body has ever been discovered.
Estranged husband Fraser denies murder and claims he has was delivering fruit and vegetables that day. He also claims former friend Hector Dick (56) a local farmer, could be the true killer.
In his closing speech today, Mr Prentice brushed aside the alibi and the incrimination, and asked the jury to find Fraser guilty of murder.
The prosecutor recalled how a pal of Arlene had told how Fraser threatened: "If you are not going to live with me you are not going to be living with anyone."
Those "chilling, prophetic words" summed up the case, he said.
"It is a case of a possessive, controlling man who could not bear to see his young wife be parted from him, who could not bear the thought of his wife with another man, who could not bear the thought of another man bringing up his children, could not bear to lose the money which was so important to him."
Mr Prentice continued: "These thoughts festered in his head and gnawed at him to such an extent that he organised the murder of his wife."
He also told the jury: "Nat Fraser is not the only person justice would require to be in the dock."
He continued: "The Crown case against Nat Fraser is that he initiated, instigated and organised the murder of his wife.
"It is not, and never has been that he actually killed her. The Crown case is that that was achieved by someone else."
Mr Prentice said Fraser had "a cast iron alibi" which the Crown did not even challenge. He also told them that, even if they believed Fraser’s claim about farmer Hector Dick "that by itself would not exculpate or free Nat Fraser from
the allegations."
Mr Prentice said all the evidence pointed to a pre-meditated murder and nothing else.
"On the evidence there is only one person in the world who has a motive to kill Arlene Fraser."
Fraser denies attacking wife Arlene (33) 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 jury has heard that there had been an earlier trial in 2003 when Hector Dick had been one of three men accused of murdering Arlene, but had left the dock and given evidence for the prosecution.
Another man on trial then, Glenn Lucas, was now dead. The third man was Fraser.
The trial continues.
