Man denies murder of Dundee mother Mary McLaren

An Arbroath man today denied charges of murdering and raping a mother-of-three whose body was discovered in undergrowth near Dundee city centre.

Mary McLaren, 34, pictured, went missing following a night-out with her sister at Fat Sams nightclub in Dundee on February 25 this year.

The body of the married woman was found on an embankment near the city's Ladywell roundabout about two weeks later.

Patrick Rae, 40, from Arbroath, pleaded not guilty to the charges at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Rae's counsel, Mark Stewart, lodged two special defences of alibi and consent.

Rae denies raping the woman, who lived in Dundee, and murdering her.

He also denies concealing the body, disposing of some of her belongings and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

He is due to appear again at the court on October 21.