Lawyers begin summing up as child abuse trial nears end

Published on Monday 27 April 2009 22:52

A MARATHON trial of eight men on child abuse and pornography charges moved into its final stages yesterday and is expected to be completed next week.

The prosecutor, Dorothy Bain, QC, is due to begin her closing speech to the jury today and will be followed by lawyers for each of the men during the rest of the week.

The judge, Lord Bannatyne, hopes to give the 14 jurors – one has dropped out because of work commitments – legal directions when the trial resumes next week after a Monday holiday. The jury will then be asked to deliver verdicts, and Lord Bannatyne has said the jury will have as much time as is necessary for its deliberations on more than 50 charges.

The eight accused are: Neil Strachan, 41, James Rennie, 38, Ross Webber, 27, Colin Slaven, 23, Craig Boath, 24, Neil Campbell, 56, John Milligan, 40, and John Murphy, 44.

The trial, which has been running for eight weeks at the High Court in Edinburgh, is the culmination of Operation Algebra, an investigation by Lothian and Borders Police which began in late 2007.

The trial continues.