Emma Caldwell accused must be found guilty of assault - judge
- Published
Emma Caldwell's body was found in woods five weeks after she was last seen
A jury has been told to find the man accused of murdering Emma Caldwell guilty of indecently assaulting her eight months before she died.
The judge said evidence from several witnesses, including Iain Packer himself, meant he should be convicted on that charge.
The 51-year-old faces 35 other charges and denies murdering the sex worker by strangling her in April 2005.
Lord Beckett is addressing the jurors before they consider their verdicts.
He directed them to return a guilty verdict on a charge of indecent assault against Ms Caldwell in August 2004 in the east end of Glasgow.
The trial earlier heard that Iain Packer had gone behind billboards with the 27-year-old, having agreed a payment for a sex act.
In a statement to police he said she tried to pull away from him and was upset but he continued.
Iain Packer denies a total of 36 charges against 25 women
Iain Packer had denied the charge but while giving evidence he was asked if he accepted his guilt for indecently assaulting Emma Caldwell.
He replied yes, and agreed during the cross examination that what he had done was "criminal".
However, he denies murdering Ms Caldwell the following year.
Ms Caldwell's body was found in Limefield Woods near Biggar in South Lanarkshire five weeks after she was last seen in April 2005.