Accused twice denied that his wife was in blazing car, says detective

Diane Taylor, 63, was giving evidence at the trial of Webster, 51, who denies murdering his first wife Claire, 32, by drugging her with Temazepam, crashing his car and setting it on fire.

Mrs Taylor, who is now retired but was a detective sergeant with Grampian Police in 1994, told the High Court in Glasgow that she came across the crashed Diahatsu Sportrak as she and two friends drove home from a dinner party at about 1am on 28 May, 1994.

She told advocate depute Derek Ogg, QC, prosecuting: "We came upon a 4 x 4 vehicle which was off the road and there was a man at the back of the vehicle on his hands and knees."

She was asked if she noticed anything about the vehicle and replied: "The engine was on fire and it was filled by thick black smoke. I was concerned. I could see the vehicle was going to burst into flames."

Mrs Taylor said that she led Webster, whom she described as conscious and lucid, to what she considered to be a safe distance from the car.

Mr Ogg asked her: "Did you ask him anything?" and she replied: "I asked him if there was anyone else in the vehicle and he said: 'No'."

She was asked if she again asked Webster if there was anyone in the car and she told him: "He said no there was no-one in the car."

Mr Ogg then asked: "Are you absolutely sure that conversation took place?" and she replied: "Absolutely."

The jury was told that Mrs Taylor only realised there was someone inside the car when the passenger door was opened.

She said: "I believed that man saying there was no-one in the vehicle and then when the door was opened seeing someone being burned in the vehicle.

"I was conscious of being told there was no-one in the car and then seeing the horrendous sight I did afterwards.

"The flames were there and you can see the ethereal outline of the body lit up by the flames."

Mrs Taylor added: "I feel terrible that I believed him and didn't open the car. When I saw what I saw afterwards I wish I had."

In evidence, Mrs Taylor claimed that Webster had told her when she asked him where his wife was that she was at home in bed. However, the court heard how in her police statement given just days after the accident she said Webster told her his wife was asleep beside him in the car.

When this was put to her by defence QC Edgar Prais she said that what she said in her statement at the time would be correct.

Mr Prais asked Mrs Taylor if Webster had mentioned anything about a motorcycle.Initially she said no, but in her police statement she referred to him saying a motor bike had come towards him on the wrong side of the road and he had had to swerve to avoid it.

Mrs Taylor said that if she had said it in her statement it must be correct.

Under re-examination by Mr Ogg Mrs Taylor was asked: "At the time did you have any reason not to believe Webster?" and she said: "Not at all." She was then asked if she could hear any clamouring or banging or calling for help from within the car and replied: "Not at all."

Webster denies murdering his wife on the Auchenhuive to Tarves Road, Kingoodie, Aberdeenshire on 27 or 28 May 1994.

He also denies trying to kill his second wife Felicity Drumm in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1999 to cash in on their life insurance.

He is also alleged to have formed a fraudulent scheme between 2004 and 2008 to enter into a bigamous marriage with lover Simone Banerjee to get access to her estate.

Webster, from Guildford, Surrey, denies all the charges.

The trial continues.