Samantha Wright murder trial: Mum recalls last time she saw daughter

A MUM'S tears interrupted the trial of a man accused of murdering her "bubbly, friendly and scatty" daughter and dumping her remains in a rubbish bin.

• Samantha Wright

Samantha Wright's partly clothed body was found in October 2009, nine months after she had been reported missing - on what would have been her twenty fifth birthday

Mrs Catherine Gibson, 48, told the High Court in Edinburgh today about the last time she saw Samantha.

When she was shown posters used by police in their efforts to trace her daughter she broke down and wept.

After a break for Mrs Gibson to compose herself, he trial also saw footage taken by CCTV cameras in Edinburgh city centre on the evening of June 12,2008.

Mrs Gibson said the film showed her daughter, wearing a striped tee shirt she had bought on her last visit to her mum in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

"I recognised Samantha the moment she came on the screen," she said.

In the dock is Robert Chalmers, 59. He denies murdering Samantha Wright, who had been living at a house in Stevenson Drive, Edinburgh, "by means unknown", blaming another man, Vasile Ungureanu.

Chalmers also denies a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice after the alleged murder in June 2008 at his then home in Edinburgh's Magdalene Drive.

The charge claims that as part of a cover-up - between June 12, 2008, and October 12 the following year - Chalmers attempted to dismember Samantha's body and repeatedly failed to inform the authorities of her death, preventing them from investigating and finding out how she died.

It is also alleged that at some time during that period, Chalmers removed the body - hidden in the death house at 30 Magdalene Drive - took off some of Samantha's clothes, dumped her remains in a refuse bin and covered her with foliage.

Chalmers is also alleged to a have turned over a mattress stained with Samantha's blood, to hide the stains, and to have got rid of blood-stained bedding and her clothes and personal effects.

Mrs Gibson told the trial how Samantha had visited Edinburgh on holiday with her dad some four or five years ago - and decided to stay.

The mum, who split with Samantha's dad when her daughter was about a year old, said Samantha would usually be in touch at Christmas or on birthdays.

Samantha's last visit to Stevenage was in May 2008 to visit her new-born niece.

Samantha and her mum had lunch then booked a coach seat for the return trip to Edinburgh. Mrs Gibson told advocate depute John Scullion, prosecuting, that the last time she saw her daughter was when she got on that bus.

After that she sent text messages, but got no reply.

Samantha was planning to go back to Stevenage for a concert, but never showed up.

Samantha would normally go home for Christmas but nothing was heard from her.

"I left messages," said Mrs Gibson. "I phoned but it was unable to connect me so I left a message."

When there was still no word from Samantha on January 5, 2009, Mrs Gibson went to the police.

Mrs Gibson told the court that her daughter was "bubbly, friendly, scatty," and would quite happily chat to strangers.

The mum said she was also worried about her daughter's drinking. "She would drink quite a lot. Not to the extent of passing out or anything like that."

Samantha seemed to be drinking more during her last visit to Stevenage.

"She was still the same as she always was - drinking, bubbly, going up and talking to people," said Mrs Gibson.

The trial before Lord Malcolm is expected to last around seven weeks.