Man snapped after sexual advances by gay friend, jury told

A MAN strangled and cut up the body of his infatuated gay friend who had tried once too often to "come on to him", it was claimed yesterday.

The prosecution made the allegation against Ian Sutherland, 33, in its closing speech to the jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

However, the defence insisted that Sutherland’s jealous ex-girlfriend was the real killer of Alan Wilson, 51, portraying Tracy Scott, 31, as a witness whose account changed "like the wind on the last day of the Open golf".

The jury will be asked to return a verdict today.

Sutherland denies murdering Mr Wilson, a former teacher, on 1 February at Sutherland’s flat in Merchiston Avenue, Edinburgh. He is also accused of dismembering the body and disposing of it, in five pieces wrapped in bin bags, in the back garden.

Ms Scott said in evidence that Sutherland had taken her to the flat and had shown her the body of Mr Wilson, stating that his hands had gripped his neck "like magnets".

Keith Stewart, the advocate-depute, reminded the jury that Sutherland had told the police he was "totally heterosexual" and had no problem with Mr Wilson being gay.

However, there was evidence that Sutherland had behaved in a way that might have given Mr Wilson the impression he could be "sexually available".

Mr Stewart said: "The evidence suggests that Alan Wilson was besotted with Ian Sutherland, infatuated with him, but his feelings were not returned.

"The older man wants to be more than friends but the younger man does not want to give the older man the kind of love he wants."

Sutherland also had gained materially from the friendship, through the regular payment of his rent, and he pandered to Mr Wilson’s infatuation, said the prosecutor, keeping alive in Mr Wilson the hope that Sutherland might embark on a full sexual relationship.

Mr Stewart said that at the time of the death, Sutherland and Ms Scott had separated, and Mr Wilson went to the accused’s home for Sunday lunch "perhaps hoping ..."

He continued: "Sutherland was a heterosexual to whom the deceased made unwelcome sexual advances as he had done in the past. On this final, tragic occasion, Ian Sutherland snapped and murdered Alan Wilson."

Echoing the words Sutherland was said to have used in the days following the killing, Mr Stewart said Mr Wilson had "tried once too often to come on to him".

"There is no doubt that Ian Sutherland murdered Alan Wilson, and no doubt that his was the hand that dismembered him," Mr Stewart claimed.

The defence counsel, Donald Findlay, QC, said in his closing speech that the Crown had tried to ignore a crucial piece of evidence about Ms Scott stating to a barmaid in a hotel: "I’ll get 20 for it. I’ve strangled him."

He added: "You are being asked to convict Ian Sutherland in the face of a confession from Tracy Scott ... no doubt made in an unguarded moment but a clear, unequivocal confession."

Mr Findlay later claimed: "In all probability, Alan Wilson loved him and Ian Sutherland benefited from that in a whole variety of ways. She [Ms Scott] hated him [Mr Wilson]. That was something driven by jealousy and envy because she resented the part Alan Wilson played in Ian Sutherland’s life.

"As far as she was concerned, he had it coming."

The trial continues.