'Murder' victim: Mary McLaren
A man denied raping and murdering a woman and concealing her body, when he appeared in court on Friday.
Patrick Rae, 40, pled not guilty to the murder of Mary McLaren in Dundee and attempting to defeat the ends of justice during a preliminary hearing in the case at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Rae is accused of assaulting Ms McLaren between February 25 and March 10 this year at North Marketgait and elsewhere in Dundee. It is alleged he seized hold of her, forcibly removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her.
He is also of repeatedly punching here on the head, repeatedly striking her head and body on the ground and against a wall or otherwise inflicting violence on her.
It is also alleged he repeatedly struck her on the neck with a knife or similar instrument, placed a piece of fabric or similar item over her throat, seized her by the throat and compressing it restricting her breathing.
Rae is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice between February 25 and March 15 by concealing the body of Ms McLaren. 34, then of Rowantree Crescent, Dundee, under leaf litter and plant foliage at North Marketgait.
He is also alleged to have removed and disposed of a coat, bag and contents belonging to her and to have disposed of a knife or similar instrument. He is further accused of disposing of and washing clothing worn by him.
Judge Lord Kinclaven fixed a further preliminary hearing in the case for October.
1. comment removed