A man who was allegedly murdered at his home “bled to death” after he suffered an injury to his thigh, a court has heard.
Professor Charles McCollum, 70, told jurors that Christopher Cowie would have died shortly from a wound which had been inflicted on the leg.
On Thursday the High Court in Edinburgh heard the medic say that an artery and a vein had been compromised following the injury.
Professor McCollum, the Emeritus Professor of Surgery at Manchester University, told prosecution lawyer Graeme Jessop that the injury would have caused Mr Cowie’s death.
He added: “The deceased bled to death.”
The medical expert was giving evidence on the third day of proceedings against Jason Mooney, 27, and Lynn Kelly, 35.
The two, both of Dunfermline, deny murdering Mr Cowie at his home in the town’s Golfdrum Street on October 15 2019.
Professor McCollum was asked by the Crown to provide his opinions on the circumstances surrounding Mr Cowie’s death.
He told Mr Jessop that Mr Cowie had sustained an injury to his thigh which was four centimetres long and six centimetres deep. The court heard that glass was recovered from the wound.
Mr Mooney and Ms Kelly are facing a total of seven charges. Jurors heard the contents of a legal document detailing the charges at the start of proceedings on Tuesday.
Prosecutors also claim that between October 13 and October 15 2019, at various locations in Dunfermline, the two accused were concerned in supplying cocaine and “Diamorphine” – a substance otherwise known as heroin.
Another charge alleges that on October 14 2019, Ms Kelly stole a bottle of wine from a branch of the Co-Op supermarket in Dunfermline.
A third alleges that on October 15 2019, Mr Mooney assaulted Mr Cowie at his flat in Golfdrum Road, Dunfermline, by presenting a knife at him and threatening him with it.
Prosecutors claim in the fourth charge that both Mr Mooney and Ms Kelly assaulted Mr Cowie at his flat by striking him on the head with a mirror and hitting him on his body with a lamp.
It is also alleged that they struggled with him before repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body.
Prosecutors then claim that both accused struck him on the leg with a piece of broken mirror “or similar object” before “failing to summon emergency medical assistance” for Mr Cowie.
It is alleged that as a result of their actions, both Mr Mooney and Ms Kelly murdered Mr Cowie.
The fifth charge alleges that on October 15 2019, both Mr Mooney and Ms Kelly stole an X Box games console, a Laptop, a Kindle tablet, a hoover, watches, a holdall, foreign currency, bank cards and gift cards from Mr Cowie’s property.
Prosecutors also claim that on October 18 2019, at room six of the James Bank Hostel in Dunfermline, Mr Mooney breached the Firearms Act by possessing a “prohibited weapon”.
It’s claimed that this item was an “irritant spray canister designed or adapted for the discharge of a noxious liquid, gas or thing”.
The seventh charge claims that Mr Mooney possessed this item on the same date and at the same location without having a firearms certificate and that this caused him to also breach the Firearms Act.
The two accused have entered not guilty pleas to all charges. Mr Mooney is represented by solicitor advocate John Scott QC whilst Ms Kelly is represented by Mark Stewart QC.
The trial, before judge Lord Beckett, continues.
