THE mother of a missing woman has told a murder trial her daughter did not break up the marriage of the man accused of killing her.
On the first day of the trial of David Gilroy, 49, of Edinburgh, 38-year-old Suzanne Pilley's mother, Sylvia Pilley, was the first witness to take the stand.
During her brief appearance at the High Court in Edinburgh, former shop assistant Mrs Pilley, 69, was asked if she could identify Mr Gilroy.
She pointed to the accused in the dock and said in a faltering voice: "That's him there."
A picture was shown to Mrs Pilley of her daughter from around 2008 at a charity abseil event, with Advocate Depute Alex Prentice, prosecuting, pointing out she had "long-ish" hair at the time.
Mrs Pilley told the court that divorcee Suzanne had met Mr Gilroy between four and six times at her daughter's flat in Edinburgh and at her own home nearby.
Mrs Pilley said it was "probably about May, June 2009 he moved in" to her daughter's flat.
She added: "He [Mr Gilroy] had left his wife and he was seeking a divorce and Suzanne was not the cause of the break-up."
Mr Gilroy has gone on trial accused of murdering Ms Pilley, a book-keeper, almost two years ago.
Mr Gilroy is charged with killing Ms Pilley on May 4, 2010, in Edinburgh or elsewhere in Scotland.
He also stands accused of trying to cover up the alleged murder.
Prosecutors allege he tried to defeat the ends of justice, taking various steps to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution for the alleged killing.
They include allegations he concealed Ms Pilley's body in the premises of Infrastructure Management in Thistle Street, Edinburgh, and transported the body to various locations in Scotland in the boot of a car.
Mr Gilroy denies the charges against him.
The murder charge alleges that Mr Gilroy assaulted and injured Ms Pilley by unknown means in Thistle Street, or elsewhere, resulting in her death.
A further charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice is broken into sub-sections. They include claims that he bought air fresheners on May 4, 2010, and repeatedly visited the basement and garage areas of the Infrastructure Management offices that same day when there was no need for him to do so.
It is alleged he visited Lochgilphead High School in Argyll and Bute on May 5 when there was no requirement for him to do so and asked for bin bags which were given to him.
He is accused of trying to cover up injuries on his hands with make-up at Lothian and Borders Police headquarters and elsewhere.
It is also alleged he repeatedly told police his relationship with Ms Pilley ended in December 2009 when "the truth is that it continued and he wanted it to continue further".
He is further accused of telling officers he saw Ms Pilley two days after he allegedly killed her.
Prosecutors also accuse Mr Gilroy of accessing Ms Pilley's email account between August 24, 2009, and April 30, 2010, and accessing her account on an internet dating website.
Mr Gilroy faces other charges, including an allegation that he assaulted his wife Andrea on various occasions between January 1, 2009 and May 18, 2010.
He is also accused of threatening two children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and assaulting a man named Scott Stewardson in Edinburgh on November 9, 2009.
The trial, before judge Lord Bracadale, continues.
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