A MURDER trial had to be adjourned at the High Court in Perth
yesterday after a young juror collapsed while being shown photographs of
the alleged victim's injuries.
One of nine women on the jury, she fainted and slumped down in her
seat as Detective Constable Stanley Millar was describing photographs he
took after Mr Magnus Fotheringham, 65, was found dead in his home in
Strathmore Avenue, Arbroath.
Mr Paul Cullen, Crown counsel, had warned the jurors they might find
some of the photographs disturbing.
On trial is Mr Ronald Ritchie, 43, described as a prisoner in Perth,
who denies that he murdered Mr Fotheringham in his home on March 24 or
25 by punching and kicking him on the head and body and stamping or
jumping on his chest. He also denies that he assaulted him on previous
occasions.
The juror who took ill recovered after attention by court staff but
after an adjournment Mr Cullen said she was still not well enough to
resume her place.
The court then rose for the day after the Judge, Lord Kirkwood said:
''We will see how she is in the morning and whether she can continue.''
Detective Constable John Peddie said that when he was called to the
deceased's ground- floor tenement flat on a Friday afternoon he saw his
body lying on the floor of an untidy living room.
The body was clothed, but when a duvet which partly covered it was
removed, it was seen that the deceased's trousers and underpants were
around his knees.
The witness said that the deceased had extensive bruising on the face
and other injuries. Detective Constable Millar said that pathologists
who carried out a post mortem examination instructed him to photograph
injuries to the deceased's face and to various parts of his body and
limbs.
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