Liam fee murder accused '˜knew they'd be jailed for neglect'

The two women accused of murdering toddler Liam Fee told a friend they 'knew they were going to jail for neglect' in the wake of the two-year-old's death, a court has heard.

Toddler Liam Fee. Picture: Contributed

Jurors were also told the pair “knew they were in trouble” after the child’s death, and that Rachel Trelfa asked another friend: “Do you think we’ll get a cell together?”

The women also used “horrible names” to refer to a young boy they claimed had strangled Liam, the court heard.

Liam’s mother Trelfa, 31, and her civil partner Nyomi Fee, 28, are on trial for a fifth week at the High Court in Livingston, where they deny murdering Liam and falsely blaming his death on another young boy.

They also plead not guilty to a catalogue of allegations of wilfully ill-treating and neglecting two young boys over a period of more than two years.

Witness Sean Catherall, 27, told the court how he and his partner met with both accused in a Dunfermline pub a few days after Liam died.

Mr Catherall said that Nyomi and Rachel had told them they didn’t murder Liam but knew they were going to jail for neglect.

“Who said that?” asked prosecutor Alex Prentice QC.

“I think it was Nyomi,” Mr Catherall replied.

Asked where Trelfa was, he said: “Sat next to her.”

He added that they called the young boy they blamed for the death “a monster” and said they “never wanted to see him again”.

Earlier, his partner John Taylor, 27, also told how he met the women in the pub, on the Tuesday after Saturday 22 March, 2014 – the day on which Liam died at a house in Fife – and then again some days later.

Asked about the women’s attitude on the second meeting, he said: “Nyomi didn’t really care. I felt sorry for Rachel to be honest. I think at one point I said, ‘You’ll be going to jail for neglect’.’’

He went on: “Rachel said, ‘Do you think we’ll get a cell together?’’’

Describing the meeting as strange, Mr Taylor told the court: “They just knew there was something wrong. They knew they were in trouble. They didn’t seem that bothered. It was very weird, uncomfortable.

“I was like, I can’t believe what I’m hearing, I just need to get drunk.”

Trelfa and Fee deny all the charges against them.

The trial, before Judge Lord Burns, continues.