Man's killers 'used prostitution lure'

A BUSINESSMAN was murdered after he visited a known red-light district and left there with a female companion, a court heard yesterday.

Alan Bennett, 56, was on a night out with work colleagues before he headed to the streets of Aberdeen's harbour, an area that is frequented by prostitutes.

Almost three hours later, a reveller in a different part of the city centre found Mr Bennett's body. He had been stabbed to death.

Paul Balgowan and Julie Carroll, both 25, are accused of luring him to his death by promising him sex.

On the first day of their trial at the High Court in Aberdeen the jury was shown CCTV footage of Mr Bennett at Regent Quay on the night he died.

Detective Constable Andrew Barclay of Grampian Police told the court: "Regent Quay is known as a red-light district. Further along is a former Grampian Police tolerance zone for prostitution, and prostitutes meet in that area."

The footage showed Mr Bennett heading to the harbour at at about 1:35am on 30 May last year and leaving with a woman thought to be Carroll.

Following just 30 seconds behind them were two figures, one of which was said to be Carroll's partner, Balgowan. It is not clear if Mr Bennett knew he was being followed, but DC Barclay said Carroll kept looking back over her shoulder.

The pair are accused of persuading the victim to go with Carroll, then pulling a knife on him.

It is claimed he was forced to hand over his wallet and then repeatedly punched and stabbed in the head and body.

Both deny the charges.

William Ewen, 19, discovered Mr Bennett's body at 3:52am as he walked home along Oldmill Road after a night out with a friend.

He said: "He was on his side and I wasn't sure if he was injured or unconscious, but I noticed he had blood on his knuckles.

"We went to see if he was all right and there was no sign of life. He was pale and cold to the touch. He had blue lips."

The panicked teenager called for an ambulance and tried to revive Mr Bennett.

"I rolled him off his side and he had blood on his chest," he told the court.

"It was all over my hands. I remember saying to the ambulance operator, in fear, 'I think he's dead'."

A paramedic called to Mr Bennett – who was reported as having had a cardiac arrest after being stabbed – spent 20 minutes trying to resuscitate him. However, he was "grey" and probably already dead.

It is alleged that Carroll and Balgowan lured men using sex several times from 1 July, 2008, to 30 May last year.

The court was told the couple promised their victims a sexual encounter, then robbed them of their money and possessions, using a knife or screwdriver to threaten them.

After the alleged murder of Mr Bennett, on 30 May, Balgowan is said to have hidden the knife in a bush, arranged a false alibi from a friend and threatened a witness who he feared would report the stabbing.

Both defendants also face a charge relating to having washed and disposed of the clothes they wore that night.

The trial, before Lord Hugh Matthews, continues.