Man 'offered to reveal body of woman he killed in return for a cigarette'

Court: The trial is taking place at the High Court in Aberdeen.© STV

A man accused of raping, murdering and robbing a pensioner in her home allegedly told police he had killed someone and would lead them to the body in return for a cigarette.

Kevin Rooney, 26, is accused of murdering Rosina Sutherland, 74, at her sheltered housing bungalow in Edinburgh last year.

He was stopped by police for another, unrelated matter when he is said to have offered to show them the body of a woman he killed for a cigarette.

He is alleged to have killed her after ransacking her home in Longstone, sexually assaulting her, repeatedly hitting her on the head and body and compressing her throat, restricting her breathing.

Rooney, who is on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen, is accused of robbing the OAP of money, keys and a walking stick during the alleged incident on October 29.

On Wednesday PC David Moran said he and a colleague detained Rooney over an unrelated matter in the early hours of the morning the day after the alleged murder.

The officer, 28, said he confiscated almost £330 which Rooney had crammed into his pockets.

PC Moran said: "He indicated that he had murdered someone and also made further reference that he would lead us to this person if we provided him with a cigarette."

Rosina Sutherland's body was discovered later that day by her son-in-law.

The trial also heard that Rooney had been seen in the Longstone Inn on the night of the alleged murder "flashing" hundreds of pounds in cash and using with a walking stick that Rosina's daughter Teresa had previously identified as belonging to her mother.

Pub licensee Karen Walker, 43, said he had "bundles" of cash and offered to buy strangers drinks and buying himself cider, lager and shots.

Customer Stephen Brown, 26, said Rooney was carrying a walking stick, which he also identified in court, and said he walked with a limp but sometimes appeared to walk normally.

CCTV footage of Rooney at the Longstone guesthouse where he was staying on the day of the alleged murder was shown to the jury. He was seen walking without a limp or the use of a cane.

Rooney faces another charge of trying to sell cannabis at the Longstone Inn on the same date and is alleged to have been on bail at the time of the offences.

Rooney denies the allegations. The trial continues.

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