THE mother Margaret Fleming told how her daughter went to live with her alleged killers when she was aged just 16 years old.

Margaret Cruickshanks, 71, told a court her daughter Margaret was disabled and would sometimes 'carry on.'

She said she lived with the two people accused of her murder: Edward Cairney, 76, and Avril Jones, 58.

Giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow, Ms Cruickshanks broke down in tears, and recalled how Margaret could become angry and difficult.

Advocate depute Iain McSporran QC questioned Ms Cruickshanks about Margaret's character and past.

Ms Cruickshanks was married to Margaret’s father, Derek Fleming, until the couple divorced in 1993.

She told the court: “I think he wanted to take her.

“My husband used to drop her off to see me now and again, whenever he felt like it - about twice a week.”

Mr Fleming died in October 1995, as Margaret approached her 15th birthday.

Recalling what Margaret was like in her teenage years, Ms Cruickshanks said: “She was still quite difficult to handle.

“She went and stayed with Derek’s mother after he died but she wasn’t able to look after her.”

After Mr Fleming’s death, Margaret went to stay with Cairney and Jones who had been his friends, Ms Cruickshanks told the court.

She added that after he died, the couple offered to help care for Margaret.

Ms Cruickshanks said: “She never got help from anyone else, apart from Eddie Cairney and Avril Jones.

“I knew them through my husband, but they were friends of my husbands.

“They said to me if I ever needed any help with Margaret they would lend a hand, if I ever needed respite care.

“They came forward when my husband died.

“They were living down in Gourock at the time.

“When Margaret got out of hand with me they would come along and take her away for about a week."

Margaret was allegedly last seen in 1999, when she was 19 years old.

Cairney and Jones, are accused of murder, abduction, and fraudulently claiming £182,000 in benefits while living in her home, Seacroft, on Main Road, Inverkip, Inverclyde, and pretending she was still living there.

They are accused of assaulting Margaret between November 1, 1997 to January 5, 2000, by tying her to a chair and cutting her hair on multiple occasions.

Both face two charges of defeating the ends to justice and are accused of destroying or concealing Margaret's personal effects between December 18, 1999 until October 26, 2017.

The other charge of defeating the ends to justice relates to trying to board a train to London from Glasgow Central Station on October 25, 2017 while carrying £3,500 in Irish bank notes, and the keys to a safe deposit box which contained £27,000.

Cairney is accused of an assault on Ms Cruickshanks on November 26, 1987 at Seacroft, by pushing her against furniture, putting his hand around her throat and repeatedly spitting in her face.

They deny all the charges.

The trial continues.