Man killed cousin and cut up his body, court told

AN alleged drug dealer accused of committing two violent murders told a friend how he killed his cousin and planned to burn his body parts in an oil drum, a court heard yesterday.

Christopher Hutcheson, aged 23, showed Derek Scanlon the body of Daniel Hutcheson lying in the bath in his flat, the High Court in Glasgow was told.

Mr Scanlon, aged 22, went on to describe how he stayed in the flat while Hutcheson and Andrew Ferguson, aged 19, went outside wearing rubber gloves and carrying a hacksaw.

When he looked out of the back window after the pair returned, Mr Scanlon said he saw a severed torso.

Hutcheson, currently in Glenochil Prison, near Alloa, is accused of murdering his cousin Daniel Hutcheson in November or December 2001 by strangling him in the bath at his flat in Woodville Street, Govan, Glasgow. He is also accused of killing John Mitchell by pushing him off a bridge near Strathaven, Lanarkshire, in September 2001.

Hutcheson denies both charges as well as charges of assault, supplying drugs, attempted murder, extortion and breach of the peace.

He and Ferguson, a prisoner in Barlinnie Jail, Glasgow, are also charged along with Scott McAulay, of Budhill Avenue, Glasgow, of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by dismembering Daniel Hutcheson’s body, burning his head and limbs and scattering the remains. All three deny the charge.

Ferguson also denies murdering Daniel Hutcheson and charges of supplying drugs, attempted murder, assault and breach of the peace.

McAulay denies two further counts of supplying drugs.

Mr Scanlon, from Clydebank, told Advocate-Depute Norman Ritchie, prosecuting, that he was called to Hutcheson’s flat in Govan out of the blue on a Saturday towards the end of 2001.

When he got to the flat Hutcheson told him: “I’ve killed my cousin,” the witness said.

He went on: “I laughed, because I didn’t believe him. He said ‘if you don’t believe me get in the bathroom, Daniel’s lying in the bath’.

“I just popped my head in and Daniel was lying in the bath.”

Mr Ritchie asked: “Was he dead?”

“Yes,” replied Mr Scanlon.

Mr Scanlon said Hutcheson asked him to help take Daniel out of the bath, but he refused.

Mr Ritchie asked: “What did you see when you looked out?”

Mr Scanlon replied: “A torso. It had no arms, legs or head.”

Mr Scanlon said he went back to the flat the next day and was posted as look out when Hutcheson and Scott McAulay took the torso out of the flat.

The trial continues.