MURDER accused Edward Cairney claimed a police sniffer dog would not find missing Margaret Fleming's scent, a court has been told.

Constable Kimberley Hill, a dog handler, was giving evidence at the trial of Edward Cairney, 77, and Avril Jones, 58, who deny murdering Margaret, when she was 19, at the home they shared at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000.

She told prosecutor Iain McSporran QC she arrived at Seacroft at 8.30pm on October 28, 2016, with two German shepherds and a cocker spaniel.

Constable Hill told the High Court in Glasgow she spoke to Cairney and Jones to try to get as much information about Margaret.

The prosecutor asked: “What did you tell Mr Cairney and Miss Jones,” and the police officer replied: “I explained how a dog search works and the information I required. I had been informed Margaret made off through the back of the house by divisional officers.

“Mr Cairney said the dog won't find any scent. He said she might have gone round the back and swung out onto the main road.”

Mr McSporran said: “His first instinct was to say the dog wouldn't find any scent,” and she replied: “Yes.”

The court was told the maximum time for scent to linger on grassy areas was about two hours.

Cairney and Jones deny murdering Margaret by means unknown. They also deny claiming £182,000 in benefits fraud by pretending she was alive.

The trial continues.