THE LAST man to dance with Elaine Doyle has dismissed as 'ridiculous' any suggestion he might have murdered the teenager.
Bernard Bradley, 51, was answering questions about a night at a disco in Greenock more than 27 years ago.
The following morning Ms Doyle's naked body was found just yards from her home in the town's Ardgowan Street.
On trial at the High Court in Edinburgh is John Docherty, 49, who denies stripping and strangling Elaine on June 2, 1986.
As part of his defence Docherty has produced a list of 41 possible suspects which, his defence team suggest, might include the real killer. On the list is Mr Bradley, who in 1986 lived in the Larkfield area.
Mr Bradley described his night at a 50p disco in the Celtic Club in Greenock's Laird Street. He danced with all the girls at a table where Ms Doyle was sitting with her friends.
Afterwards one of Mr Bradley's friends drove him home, stopping on the way at a Chinese takeaway. He thought he arrived home about 11.30pm.
"I just went to bed," Mr Bradley told the trial.
Advocate depute John Scullion, prosecuting, asked: "Did you go back out? Did you go to Ardgowan Street? Mr Bradley told him no.
Defence QC Donald Findlay suggested that, if he had wished, Mr Bradley had plenty of time to leave his home in Devon Road, Larkfield, and return to Greenock town centre where Ms Doyle was hanging out with her friends near a hamburger stall until around midnight.
The trial continues.
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