Man 'seen driving Emma Faulds' car after alleged murder'

A neighbour told a jury he saw a man driving Emma Faulds’ car hours after she was allegedly murdered.

Steven Robison, 37, was giving evidence at the trial of Ross Willox, 41, who denies murdering the 39-year-old at his home in Fairfield Park, Monkton, Ayrshire, on April 28, 2019, by means unknown.

Mr Robison, who was Ms Faulds’ downstairs neighbour in Fullerton Road, Kilmarnock, said he saw the youth worker’s blue BMW 1 Series, which had a personalised number plate, in Fullerton Street around 7.25am on Monday, April 29, 2019.

Ms Faulds was reported missing on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 after failing to turn up for work at Kibble School in Paisley.

The High Court in Glasgow has heard she was at Willox’s home in Monkton for a chat and a drink on the evening of Sunday, April 28.

Her body was found in Glentrool Forest, Dumfriesshire, on June 12, 2019.

Mr Robison said: “I saw Emma’s car pull out from a parked position at the bowling club and it drove up the street towards her property.”

Mr Robison told the court he noticed the car as he was being given a lift to work.

Prosecutor Paul Kearney asked: “Was it Emma’s car,” and Mr Robison replied: “Yes, I recognised the number plate.”

The witness was asked who he saw in the car, and said: “There was a man in the car.”

Mr Kearney said: “Was there anyone in the passenger seat,” and Mr Robison replied: “Not that I noticed.”

The prosecutor then said: “Emma had long straight blonde hair. Do you think if she had been in the passenger seat you would have seen her,” and the witness replied: “I think there’s a very good chance.”

Mr Kearney then said: ” Did you see anything like that, ” and Mr Robison replied: “No.”

The neighbour was then asked if he had ever seen anyone else driving Ms Faulds’ car, and replied: “Never.”

He described the driver as white, with brushed back darkish hair and wearing a light top, and added: “He was taller than me. I’m 5ft 5.”

After being shown CCTV of the incident, Mr Robison was asked by defence QC Donald Findlay: “The car does not move out of the parking space until you have passed it.

“If you are wrong about seeing the car moving why should anyone accept your accuracy of your description of the driver,” and the witness replied: “I described what I thought I saw at the time.”

Constable Mark McClure told the court that he and a colleague spoke to Willox at his home around 8pm on April 30, 2019.

He said: “Mr Willox was asked if he had driven Emma Faulds’ car anytime and said no he hadn’t.”

The police officer was asked by defence QC Donald Findlay if he and his colleague had searched Willox’s home saying: “You could have looked at the house, the caravan and the decking,” and constable McClure replied: “He could have refused to let us search.”

The police officer then added: “The procedure is we search the last place a missing person was known to have been.”

He said that Willox had told them that the last place Ms Faulds was seen was at her home.

Willox denies all the charges against him.

The trial before judge Lord Mulholland continues.