Appeal judges send Fraser back to jail

Published on Friday 7 December 2007 00:46

NAT Fraser was back behind bars last night after the convicted wife-killer's bail was withdrawn at the end of submissions in his appeal.

Fraser was released 19 months ago, when new evidence appeared to cast doubt on his conviction for arranging the murder of his estranged wife, Arlene.

He showed no emotion as the appeal judges announced that they wanted time to consider their ruling, and agreed to a request by the Crown that his bail be revoked.

Relatives of Mrs Fraser, who had attended the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, were delighted.

Her father, Hector McInnes, 67, said he did not want to read too much into the decision, but added: "We knew the appeal would finish today, but the way it finished just took the wind completely out of my sails. I would not have believed it. I certainly hope he will remain there [in prison], but there is no way I am going to prejudge three judges."

No indication was given as to how long it might take the judges to deliver their ruling - it is unlikely to be before the New Year - and Mr McInnes said: "I don't care because Mr Fraser is in jail... they can take as long as they like."

Carol Gillies, 44, Mrs Fraser's sister, echoed her father's comments. She said: "It was a complete and utter shock... so unexpected. I think John Beckett [QC for the Crown] has done us proud in the appeal."

Mrs Gillies said she believed Fraser should never have been freed in the first place.

"He was convicted for murder and it was a terrible crime," she added.

Mrs Fraser, 33, disappeared in April 1998 after seeing her two children off to school from the family home in New Elgin, Moray. Fraser, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler, had been facing a costly divorce settlement and was suspected by the police, but he had an unbreakable alibi. It was almost five years before he and two other men, Hector Dick and Glenn Lucas, now deceased, were put on trial, in January 2003. A few days into the case, the Crown dropped the charges against Lucas and Dick.

Dick then said Fraser had confided in him about hiring a hit-man to strangle Arlene, and claimed Fraser had admitted burning the body and crushing and scattering the remains.

Lord Gill, the Lord Justice-Clerk, sitting with Lords Osborne and Johnston, said: "

We consider that it is in the public interest that interim liberation should be withdrawn."