Arlene Fraser trial: Husband’s face ‘drained’ when told of disappearance

The colour drained from Nat Fraser’s face when he was given news of his estranged wife’s disappearance, but within a couple of days he was “back to his normal self”, a court has heard.

Money was very important for Fraser, and he had tried to have his wife Arlene settle for half of what she wanted in a divorce, a jury was told.

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard Hector Dick, the man blamed by Fraser over Mrs Fraser’s death, had chloroform and a plastic sheet in his car boot.

Mrs Fraser, 33, vanished on 28 April, 1998, from her home in New Elgin, Moray. She and her husband were separated and she was to have seen a solicitor that day about a divorce.

Fraser, 53, denies acting with others to murder her. He pleads alibi and incrimination, naming Mr Dick, a farmer and ex-friend.

Ian Taylor, 53, of Lhanbryde, near Elgin, was best man at Fraser’s wedding, and his partner in a fruit and vegetable wholesale business for about 20 years. Fraser stayed at his home after the separation.

Mr Taylor recalled his wife taking a telephone call from a friend and advising Fraser that Mrs Fraser was missing. He was referred to a statement he had given the police at the time, in which he described Fraser “draining”, meaning the colour leaving his face.

“He obviously got a shock at the news he was told,” Mr Taylor told the jury.

Asked how Fraser had appeared subsequently, he said: “A bit nervous for the first day or two, and after that he was just back to his normal self.”

Advocate-depute Alex Prentice QC asked: “Did he ever show any real concern about Arlene in those later days?”

Mr Taylor said: “Not a lot.”

He added that Mr Dick had once called at his premises to buy vegetables. He thought it was at the end of 1997 or the start of 1998, and he saw liquid in a container in the boot of his car. Mr Dick had said it was chloroform which he used to kill animals on his farm. Mr Taylor believed it was possibly a way of saving on vet’s fees.

There was also a plastic sheet and Mr Dick had said he used it if he ran down a deer to stop “the boot getting into a mess”.

Mr Taylor said money was very important to Fraser, and Jane Taylor, 52, his wife, told the court she had once found something which annoyed her in the room Fraser used at her home. It was a bank statement lying on a chest of drawers.

“There was very little in it. I felt it was left there for me to see so I would go back to Arlene and say he did not have any money,” said Mrs Taylor.

Joanne Murdoch, 46, of Elgin, a friend of Mrs Fraser, said they had talked about a possible cash settlement from her husband. Mrs Fraser had told her she had asked for £60,000 or the house, and Fraser had offered £30,000 but she said it was not enough.

Mrs Murdoch added that she met Mrs Fraser a few days before she vanished, and Mrs Fraser told her she had been expecting a weekly cheque from her husband but it had not arrived.

Ian Horne, 57 who played in a band with Fraser said: “Nat was concerned about his marriage. He gave the impression he was hoping it could be saved.”

The trial continues.