Martin Kok: Jurors shown footage of crime blogger's murder

Martin Kok died outside a club near Amsterdam in 2016

Jurors in a Scottish court have been shown footage of a Dutch crime writer being gunned down outside a club.

Christopher Hughes, 33, from Glasgow, denies involvement in the murder of Martin Kok, 49, in the Netherlands in December 2016.

The footage, shown at the High Court in Glasgow, showed Mr Kok leaving a sex club with a man, identified in court as Mr Hughes, and getting into a car.

A man then emerged from bushes and appeared to shoot Mr Kok.

The trial has previously heard that Martin Kok was a well-known journalist and crime writer in the Netherlands who had published "often sensationalist" details about criminals and organised crime.

Mr Hughes has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and a number of other charges including involvement with organised crime and the supply of cocaine.

The alleged method of Mr Kok's murder was that his whereabouts and time of departure at the club were given to others.

'Distressing footage'

Jurors were warned by judge Lady Scott that they were to be shown potentially "distressing" footage from the scene of the shooting.

Mr Kok and Mr Hughes were identified in the footage by Det Insp Michael Lochrie, a Police Scotland detective who was working in a team focused on serious organised crime.

Det Insp Lochrie confirmed that they entered the Boccaccio club in the town of Laren, near Amsterdam, and left four hours later.

Mr Kok was then witnessed entering the driver's side of a parked Volkswagen Polo, with Mr Hughes behind him.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing QC described how a figure then emerged from a bushed area and flashes could be seen as shots were fired at Mr Kok.

A man in dark clothing with white soles on his shoes was then seen to flee the scene.

Mr Hughes was seen to walk out of the car park before briefly returning and then leaving again.

Earlier incident

The jury was also shown footage on an incident earlier on the same day in Amsterdam.

Mr Hughes and Mr Kok were seen to enter the Citizen M hotel, the court was told.

Det Insp Lochrie said the footage showed the crime writer leaving the hotel 90 minutes later with a man.

A third figure then approached them and appeared to hold something to Mr Kok's head before running off.

The jury's attention was drawn to a Toyota Auris with a black stripe down the side which appeared in the footage near the time of both incidents.

The trial, before Lady Scott, continues.