Wife killer Nat Fraser in court for appeal

Published on Tuesday 13 November 2007 14:44

A CONVICTED wife murderer appeared in court today to begin his appeal to clear his name.

Nat Fraser is trying to overturn his conviction for killing his estranged wife Arlene nine years ago.

Fraser, 48, was jailed for life in January 2003 after a jury convicted him of the killing.

He arrived at the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh wearing a grey suit and blue shirt and tie.

Mrs Fraser's father Hector McInnes arrived at the court today with his wife Catherine for the start of the appeal hearing, which could last up to four weeks.

Mrs Fraser was 33 when she disappeared from her home in New Elgin, Moray, after waving her two children off to school on April 28 1998. Her body has never been found.

The trial judge at the High Court in Edinburgh ruled that Fraser should spend a minimum of 25 years in jail before being considered for release.

But he walked free 18 months ago, having been granted bail ahead of his full appeal.

Judges took the step last May after hearing that the grounds of appeal were "compelling" in Fraser's case.

Last year, it emerged that evidence relating to Mrs Fraser's rings was not made available to the defence or to the court at the time of the trial.

Lawyers for the convicted killer are also expected to focus on several other grounds of appeal, including the circumstantial evidence, the trial judge's directions and the evidence given by a former co-accused.

• More on this story in Wednesday's Scotsman