Ex-lover of murder-accused Malcolm Webster 'thought he might have killed his wife'

Malcolm Webster: Murder accused at the High Court in Glasgow© STV

A woman told how she slept with murder accused Malcolm Webster on his first wedding anniversary just months after the death of his wife.

Geraldine Oakley, 50, told the High Court in Glasgow that as their relationship developed she began to suspect that he might have killed his wife 32-year-old Claire Webster.

Miss Oakley was giving evidence at the trial of Malcolm Webster, 51, who denies murdering his first wife Claire by drugging her with Temazepam, crashing his car on the Auchenhuive to Tarves Road, Kingoodie, Aberdeenshire on May 27 or 28 1994, and setting it on fire.

She told advocate depute Derek Ogg QC that she first met Webster in 1993 or 1994 when she was computer manager for the laboratory system at Grampian NHS based in Aberdeen.

The jury was told that prior to Claire's death in a fireball car crash they were just friends. When the accident happened Miss Oakley was away on holiday and she said the first she knew of it was when she met Webster, who was wearing a collar round his neck.

She said: "He put his hands over mine and said there had been an accident and Claire had died. I told him to call me if he needed to talk."

The jury was told that the pair went out for coffee and then Webster invited Miss Oakley to his home at East Cattie Cottage near Oldmeldrum for dinner and drove her home afterwards.

They also went out for meals and Mr Ogg asked Miss Oakley: "Did it seem there was a relationship in the offing?" and she replied: "Malcolm seemed keen to progress the relationship."

She told the court that on September 3, 1994 the anniversary of his wedding to Claire,Webster called and said he didn't want to be alone and she invited him to her house near Cruden Bay. Mr Ogg asked: "Did you cook for him?" and she replied: "I cooked tagliatelli with smoked salmon Malcolm thought it was just a starter.

He was entertaining. He made a joke and we ended up kissing."

The prosecutor then asked if this was the start of their physical relationship and Miss Oakley replied: "He ended up staying the night with me in my room. He just slept with me that night."

He then asked: "This was the first wedding anniversary of his wife who had died a few weeks before?" and she replied: "That's correct."

The court was told that Webster showered Miss Oakley with gifts and treated them to a stay in a suite at the Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh. Miss Oakley told the court she became worried when Webster began to question her about whether a second autopsy was going to be carried out into the death of Claire.

In a statement to police she said: "Malcolm was obsessed by this at the time and I considered speaking to consultant pathologist Dr James Grieve, but I never did."

Miss Oakley agreed she had said that and added: "I went to James Grieve's office twice and turned back."

Mr Ogg asked: "What was your conversation going to be about?" and Miss Oakley said: "I thought that Malcolm might have killed his wife."

She was then asked: "Was it your intention to tell him about your conversation about him (Webster) asking about a second autopsy and toxicology?" and said: "Yes."

When asked if she had given Webster information she replied: "I would not do that."

The court heard that she had access to information about pathology and toxicology but she said "It would be wrong of me to access information or divulged information." Referring to Webster she added: "He said Claire was on medication. She was under her GP. He mentioned something about epilepsy."

She was asked by Mr Ogg if she had ever before told anyone about the mention of epilepsy and said: "No." The court heard that their sexual relationship was kept secret .

On one occasion Webster introduced her to friends as a work colleague and on another she went sailing with him and two of his friends and had to pretend they were just pals.

Miss Oakley added that during their relationship he would act out scenes from films. She said: "After the first proper night we spent together the next morning he said: 'Does that mean we are engaged.' Not having seen Four Weddings and a Funeral I didn't realise it was a line from that."

The court was told that Webster used to visit Miss Oakley in the laboratory prior to Claire's death and bought her presents and even bake a cake for her on one occasion. Mr Ogg asked: "Did he doe this while Claire was alive and did your colleagues comment on it?" and she replied: "Yes they did."

Miss Oakley has still to be cross-examined by defence QC Edgar Prais. He will do this on Monday as the trial is not sitting on Friday. Webster also denies trying to kill his second Felicity Drumm in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1999 to cash in on their life insurance

He is also alleged to have formed a fraudulent scheme between 2004 and 2008 to enter into a bigamous marriage with lover Simone Banerjee to get access to her estate.

Webster denies all the charges. The trial before judge Lord Bannatyne continues.

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