Police dog 'found Emma Fauld's body in remote forest'

A police officer told a murder trial how he found the body of missing 39-year-old Emma Faulds in a remote forest area.

Detective constable Ben Pacholek was giving evidence at the trial of Ross Willox who denies murdering Ms Faulds at his home at Fairfield Park, Monkton, Ayrshire, on April 28, 2019, by means unknown.

Prosecutors allege 41-year-old Willox dumped the youth worker’s naked body in Glentrool Forest, Dumfriesshire.

Dog handler DC Pacholek was part of a massive police operation that was involved in searching forest areas in Dumfriesshire for Emma who was reported missing on April 30, 2019.

DC Pacholek said his dog Bear, who was specially trained to find dead bodies, began barking which indicated he had found something.

He took Bear back to the police van and then returned to the spot to investigate further after putting on sterile gloves.

Mr Kearney said: “What did you see”, and the officer replied: “A right foot.”

DC Pacholek said: “I lifted the vegetation to see if it was a body part or torso. I could see the lower portion of a naked body.”

Mr Kearney asked: “You had been searching for many days what did you think you and Bear had achieved,” and the officer, in a voice breaking with emotion, replied: “That we had done what we set out to do and we found her.”

The prosecutor then said: “Emma Faulds,” and the police officer agreed.

The court heard that DC Pacholek reported the find to his superior officer and the site was cordoned off.

He and Bear joined the search on May 21, 2019 and by June 12, 2019 he estimated that he they had walked over 200 miles.

When asked by prosecutor Paul Kearney why that area in Glentrool Forest had been chosen to search DC Pacholek replied: “The accused had some involvement in working on a wind farm nearby.”

Mr Kearney said: “It was known that Ross Willox had previously worked on wind farms in the Galloway area,” and he replied: “Yes.”

The prosecutor then said: “Were the searches intelligence led and the policeman replied: “Absolutely.”

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked the officer: “Is there a wind farm anywhere near the deposition site,” and he replied: “No.”

When asked where the nearest wind farm to the stop where Emma’s body was found, he replied: “Less than ten miles away perhaps.”

Willox denies all the charges against him.

The trial before judge Lord Mulholland continues.