Murder accused sat watching TV 'just feet from Samantha's body'

Robert Chalmers, 59, sat for months in his living room surrounded by air fresheners and with a can of fly spray ready to hand, claimed advocate depute John Scullion, prosecuting.

Just four metres away on his patio, the remains of Samantha Wright, 24, had been stuffed into a wheelie bin and covered with leaves, he said.

Chalmers denies murdering Samantha from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in June 2008 at his home in Magdalene Drive in the Duddingston area of Edinburgh.

He also denies that as part of an attempt to cover up the alleged murder he tried to hack off the woman's head and dismember her body before hiding her.

Samantha's remains were discovered by police and a sniffer dog in October 2009 - bringing a sad end to a missing person inquiry which had begun nine months earlier.

After four weeks of evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh, the jury are expected to hear closing speeches from prosecution and defence tomorrow with a verdict later in the week.

Father-of-eleven Chalmers - known locally as Papa Smurf because of his beard - left the dock for the witness box for a second day today to repeat his denials of any wrong doing - and to be accused of lying.

He said he had never taken Samantha to his home and claimed he always used communal refuse bins for his household rubbish.

"I told you I had no knowledge of a wheelie bin in my back garden up until the time I was informed by police," said Chalmers.

And he denied setting up an elaborate security system of cameras and monitors at his home to prevent any casual intruders discovering the grim secret in the back garden he allowed to grow wild, to camouflage the green wheelie bin.

Mr Scullion challenged: "You are a liar Mr Chalmers. You lie with great confidence but you have been caught out."

He continued: "Why don't you just tell the truth? Why don't you tell the ladies and gentlemen what you did to Samantha Wright?"

Chalmers told him: "I never did anything to Samantha Wright."

He agreed that around the time of the alleged murder he "enjoyed a couple of pints" but denied it made him aggressive.

Mr Scullion showed again photos taken during the police search of the house in Magdalene Drive.

"You sat watching TV with a can of fly spray handy and surrounded by air fresheners," he suggested.

"No, that is not correct," replied Chalmers.

He blames Samantha's murder on a Romanian Big Issue seller, Vasile Ungureanu who was from time to time a lodger at the Magdalene Drive address.

The trial continues.