Emma Faulds: Differing accounts from murder accused

The sister of Emma Faulds, who was found dead in a remote woodland, has told a murder trial she was given differing accounts by the accused of how Ms Faulds left his home.

Ross Willox, 41, first told Emma's sister Sarah that the she had driven herself home but later said he had driven her.

Ms Faulds' body was found in Glentrool Forest, Galloway, on 12 June 2019.

Mr Willox denies murdering Emma at his home in Ayrshire, on 28 April 2019.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Ms Faulds, 39, who was never without her phone, was reported missing on Tuesday 30 April 2019 having not been in touch with family and friends since the Sunday evening.

That night she had been visiting Mr Willox, a friend she met when they both worked together at Kilmarnock Prison. She had taken her Westie Maverick with her.

Sarah Faulds told prosecutor Paul Kearney she had texted Mr Willox, 41, on 30 April 2019, saying "Hi Ross, I'm just wondering if she's still with you. No-one's seen her.'

Mr Willox said she was not with him and when Ms Faulds asked when she left, in a text he told her: "Sunday. Maverick was getting rowdy with my dog Paddy and Emma was getting stressed."

In a later text Mr Willox said that Emma had driven home.

Ms Faulds told the court that he phoned her later in the day after police had spoken to him and said the police had asked him questions and had there been any news.

Mr Kearney asked her: "Did he say where he had last seen Emma? Did he say he had gone back to Emma's flat with her and left her there?," and the witness replied: "Yes, he said it was in the evening at some point and he didn't stay long."

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked Ms Faulds why there was no mention of that phone call in her police statement.

She said: "I did talk to the police about it when I gave my statement. I don't know why it's not there."

When asked why she had not noticed the omission when she read over the statement given in May 2019 she replied: "I was more concerned about finding where my sister was."

She described herself as being in a very emotional state.

The court also heard that Mr Willox told a police officer he last saw Ms Faulds at her Kilmarnock flat on the morning of Monday 29 April 2019.

PC Gary Thomson said Mr Willox had given a statement saying he had spent the night at the flat after earlier meeting up at his home in Monkton.

The officer said: "He said they were at his house in Monkton and she got worried about her dog which had undergone an operation and wanted to take it home. They decided to go to her flat."

Mr Willox claimed he had drinks and took about a dozen lines of cocaine in Ms Faulds' flat.

In the statement, Mr Willox said: "She was positive and upbeat and enjoying herself. She was talking about her forthcoming 40th and talking about a cruise."

Mr Willox said he decided to go home at about 07:30 the next day, but claimed Ms Faulds wanted to go on partying.

He told police that he walked to a bus station and got a taxi home from there.

Beauty therapist Emma Jones, 32, a friend of Emma Faulds, told the jurors she was worried after getting no reply from her phone and walked round to her home.

She was there about 16:30 on 30 April 2019 when police broke in and found Maverick home alone.

Ms Jones said they let her in to the flat.

She was asked if anything was out of place and said: "Emma was very particular. She had OCD. Her overnight bag was on a sofa and her keys were on the dining table."

Ms Jones said that Emma would never have left the flat in that state. She added: "She had a ledge at the front door where she put her keys and she would always unpack everything. She would have tidied it all away."

Earlier, William Beattie, 49, from Kilmarnock, a self employed glazier, told the court he drove a drug dealer friend to a house in Monkton, Ayrshire, after he received a text from Emma Faulds at about 23:30 asking for cocaine.

He said: "Emma texted the address and postcode. We go there around 12:00 to 01:00 on 29 April 2019."

The witness was asked if Ms Faulds came out of the house and replied: "No, it was a large chap with a coat on."

Mr Beattie said he saw Emma Faulds as they reversed away from the house.

He said: "She was sitting on the couch. I waved and she waved back."

Defence QC Donald Findlay said to Mr Beattie: "Cocaine had been delivered to the house in Monkton and Emma Faulds was alive and and well and perfectly alright from what you could see," and he replied: "Yes, that's correct."

Mr Willox denies all the charges against him. The trial before judge Lord Mulholland continues.