A man is accused of sexually assaulting and killing a 15-year-old girl.
Ewan Fulton, 20, allegedly carried out the crimes against Mhari O’Neill at Calton Hill in Edinburgh on December 7, 2018.
The culpable homicide charge initially claims he kissed, touched, bit and compressed the teenager’s neck.
Mhari is also said to have been grabbed, slapped and thrown to the ground resulting in “blunt force trauma” to her head and body.
Prosecutors state Fulton did then “recklessly endanger” Mhari by providing her with alcohol and a drug called Fluoxetine.
The teenager allegedly became “incapable of looking after herself”.
It is claimed Fulton – who also allegedly stole Mhari’s bus pass – knew what condition she was in, but “abandoned her there in a remote and exposed location”.
Mhari is said to have been left partially undressed and unable to get help.
The charge states he also failed to seek assistance with “utter disregard for the consequences” of what allegedly occurred.
Mhari is said to have died at Calton Hill between December 7 and December 8.
Fulton, of Livingston, West Lothian, is also accused of sexually assaulting four other teenage girls between November 2017 and February 2019.
He is further accused of physically assaulting and stealing from two more.
Fulton – who denies the charges – had his attendance excused during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow today, Monday, February 1.
His QC Shelagh McCall said: “This is a somewhat complicated case in relation to the culpable homicide charge in particular.”
Both the advocate and prosecutor Alex Prentice QC asked for a further hearing to be set.
Lady Stacey adjourned the case until next month.
Bail for Fulton was continued meantime.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
