Suzanne Pilley trial: Accused describes ‘Buddhist-style ceremony’

David Gilroy said in a statement they spent the evening of Sunday 2 May 2010 together and took part in a Buddhist style ceremony in an area of Edinburgh woodland to signify the end of their relationship.

Gilroy told Sergeant Paul Grainger that both he and Ms Pilley wrote their feelings for each other down on pieces of paper before burning them.

They then spent the night at Ms Pilley’s flat but did not have sex, the High Court in Edinburgh heard yesterday. Gilroy also said that Ms Pilley smoked cannabis and drank alcohol.

Gilroy then said, in the 11-hour interview, that he left her home the following morning and returned to his home to be with his wife Andrea.

He said he received a text message from Ms Pilley which accused him of being a game player who had no intention of ever committing to her.

Gilroy said the last time he ever communicated with her was when he sent a text message on Monday morning which read: “I will always love you.”

Earlier, the court heard how Gilroy told police that he misled his wife about his relationship with the missing bookkeeper.

He had gone to police after spending part of his day in Lochgilphead, Argyll.

He told Sgt Grainger, 39, that he had claimed to his staff nurse wife that he was working when he was actually seeing Ms Pilley.

Gilroy claimed that his wife had discovered what was going on and she thought that he had “betrayed” her.

During proceedings, the court also heard how Gilroy told officers that Ms Pilley fell victim to domestic abuse in a previous relationship.

He also told police officers she had an abortion when she was younger but in recent years said she wanted to have children.

Sgt Grainger told prosecution lawyer Alex Prentice QC that he interviewed Gilroy at Corstorphine police station in Edinburgh just after midnight on 6 May 2010.

The court heard how Gilroy, 49, a former Royal Navy engineer, met Ms Pilley, 38, on a works night out in Edinburgh in spring 2009.

He said he began having a relationship with Ms Pilley after doing odd jobs around her flat in Edinburgh’s Whitson area.

During their relationship, he said that the divorcee had told him that she was abused during a previous relationship.

He also said that she was previously married but had split up from her partner because she didn’t “fancy” him.

Sgt Grainger said he noticed Gilroy had a number of injuries during the interview.

He told Mr Prentice: “I noticed a scar on his forehead under his hairline. There may have been some sort of scratch to his neck under his chin.”.

At approximately 5:30pm on 6 May 2010, Gilroy was asked to leave Corstorphine police station to attend a forensic medical examination at St Leonard’s police station on the south side of Edinburgh.

Sergeant Colin Fordyce, 41, said he was in the car which took Gilroy to St Leonard’s.

During the journey, Mr Fordyce said Gilroy told officers he thought a passing female pedestrian was Ms Pilley. But when officers took a closer look, Gilroy said he was mistaken.

Mr Fordyce said: “He said ‘Er, no, it’s not her but it looks like her’.”

Gilroy, of Silverknowes, Edinburgh denies murdering Ms Pilley. The trial continues.