Margaret Fleming trial: Timeline of events leading up to murder convictions
Edward Cairney and Avril Jones have been convicted of murdering vulnerable Margaret Fleming almost 20 years ago.
Here is a timeline of events surrounding the police investigation and legal process which led to them being found guilty.
– October 28 2016
Margaret Fleming is reported missing by her two carers from her home in Main Road, Inverkip, Inverclyde.
– December 12 2016
Police say they will be carrying out excavation work in the garden and are “carefully sifting through the house” where Ms Fleming was believed to live with her two carers.
Specialist search teams including the police helicopter, dog unit and dive teams had also been searching across Inverclyde.
– December 17 2016
On the anniversary of the last independent sighting of Ms Fleming, which was at a family gathering on December 17 1999, police say it is possible she “may have come to some harm” and say their priority is establishing her movements and lifestyle from 1999 onwards.
It is understood police went to the house as part of a routine social services inquiry in October 2016 but were told she was not there, and her carers later reported her missing.
– December 21 2016
Police ban the flying of drones over an area where they are searching, with the restriction in place until late February.
No aircraft other than Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service or Maritime Coast Guard Agency assets can fly below 1,500ft in the area, police say.
– April 28 2017
Police say Ms Fleming’s disappearance may be down to “something more sinister” as their search at the property concludes.
Officers have been sifting through thousands of items, paperwork, documents and articles taken from the house and have been in contact with around 1,200 individuals and organisations who may have had contact with Ms Fleming.
Police say the search they carried out in the house and the grounds extended into nearby water and woodland.
The area searched in the garden alone was around half a hectare.
– October 26 2017
Police investigating Ms Fleming’s disappearance arrest her carers Edward Cairney and Avril Jones.
– October 27 2017
The pair appear at Greenock Sheriff Court charged with murder, abduction and assault, fraud and an attempt to defeat the ends of justice. They make no plea and are remanded in custody.
– May 28 2018
Cairney and Jones appear at the High Court in Livingston charged with abducting and murdering Ms Fleming and claiming £182,000 in benefits by fraud by pretending that she was still alive.
The pair’s lawyers enter not-guilty pleas to all the charges on their behalf during the first public hearing of the case.
– September 26 2018
The pair go on trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of abducting and murdering Ms Fleming and fraudulently claiming £182,000 in benefits by pretending she was still alive.
– October 18 2018
The trial is deserted pro loco et tempore with the Crown expected to reindict the case with a fresh trial at a later date.
– April 25 2019
Cairney and Jones go on trial at the High Court in Glasgow. They are accused of assaulting and murdering Ms Fleming and fraudulently claiming £182,000 in benefits by pretending she was alive.
– June 14 2019
Both accused are convicted of murder on a majority verdict.
