Nat Fraser trial: Arlene's husband 'said no-one else could have her'

Nat Fraser denies murdering his wife Arlene Fraser

A man accused of murdering his wife 14 years ago told a friend "if I can't have her, nobody will" before she vanished, a trial has heard.

Arlene Fraser, 33, disappeared from her home in Elgin, Moray, in 1998. Nat Fraser, 53, denies killing his wife.

Witness Hector Dick said Mr Fraser had an "ill will" towards her and spoke of people going missing, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Mr Fraser claims Mr Dick could have been behind Mrs Fraser's disappearance.

The court heard he told Mr Dick a separation would cost him about £86,000.

Farmer Mr Dick, 56, told the fourth day of the trial Mr Fraser adopted quite a "hard-headed" approach to his wife and "wasn't going to be beaten".

Jurors were also told that Mr Fraser said he did not want anybody else to be involved in the upbringing of his children following any separation.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, prosecuting, asked Mr Dick if Mr Fraser had offered him anything.

"Yes, that's right," he said. "He was trying to limit the damage at that time and he offered me his whisky collection at a knock-down price."

Good friends

Mr Dick said he thought the collection was worth about £10,000. Mr Fraser wanted to sell it for between £1,000 and £2,000, but on condition that he could buy it back at a later date for the same amount.

Asked about the purpose of the arrangement, Mr Dick replied: "To do his wife out of 10 grand."

Mr Dick said that Mr Fraser had bought potatoes from him in the 1980s, and that they became good friends.

He said Mr Fraser acted as his best man at his wedding in 1996.

It is alleged that Mr Fraser strangled or murdered his wife "by other means to the prosecutor unknown" between 28 April and 7 May 1998.

Mr Fraser has lodged special defences of alibi and incrimination.

Made deliveries

He names Mr Dick, of Mosstowie, Elgin, as the possible murderer.

The alibi describes how Mr Fraser left the address where he was staying in Burnside Road, Lhanbryde, on 28 April at about 07:30 and spent the day making deliveries to shops, hotels and restaurants in the area, pausing just after 09:00 to make a half-hour phone call.

The court has heard that there had been an earlier trial in 2003 when Mr Dick had been one of three men accused of murdering Mrs Fraser, but had left the dock and given evidence for the prosecution.

Another man on trial then, Glenn Lucas, was now dead.

The trial, before judge Lord Bracadale, continues.