Pier murder accused pushed woman for fun, jury told

A man accused of murdering a stranger by pushing her from a pier said "it was just a bit of fun", a court has heard.

Jacob Foster, 29, allegedly made the comment to a police officer after Charmaine O'Donnell fell at Helensburgh Pier in Argyll and Bute in April 2021.

Jurors at the High Court in Glasgow heard Ms O'Donnell, 25, suffered severe neck injuries and drowned.

Mr Foster denies murder and his lawyers have lodged a special defence of diminished responsibility.

They claim he had an "abnormality of mind" at the time.

• Man accused of murdering woman at pier

PC Gary Davidson told the court how he was called to the pier on 23 April last year after reports of a woman in the sea.

The officer said Mr Foster had been "quite agitated and talking a lot".

Prosecutor Alex Prentice asked whether the accused had said anything to him.

PC Davidson replied: "That it was an accident. He said, 'I just pushed her, it was just a bit of fun'. He said that he had a few cans that day.

"I said to him the best thing was to stay calm and not say anything, but he said these things again and again."

Jacob Foster denies murder and has lodged a special defence of "abnormality of mind"

After being cautioned by the police officer, Mr Foster allegedly stated: "I did not know that she could not swim".

The trial also heard from several teenagers who tried to help Ms O'Donnell, who had been on a day trip to Helensburgh with a friend.

The group raised the alarm and called for an ambulance after seeing her in the water.

One 17-year-old said: "I chose to go down the ladder and help her. I took one arm and my friend took another.

"My friend was in the water trying to hold her head up."

The teenager said they were unable to get Ms O'Donnell out before emergency services arrived.

Emergency crews were called to Helensburgh Pier but Ms O'Donnell did not survive

His 16-year-old friend said he initially thought it was one of their own group jumping into the sea.

He then noticed "a bit of blood" and Ms O'Donnell's shoe floating in the water. He believed she was in the sea for up to 40 minutes.

He also recalled a man stating: "I shoved her in. I thought she could swim."

The murder charge alleges Mr Foster picked up Ms O'Donnell and carried her to a barrier before pushing her.

It is said that this caused Ms O'Donnell to strike the pier structure and the water below.

The indictment alleges that this led Ms O'Donnell to ingest water and that she was left so severely injured she died.

The trial, before judge Lord Fairley, continues.