FORMER Rangers owner Craig Whyte has denied in court a claim that he asked his housekeepers to hide some of his high-value personal items to prevent them being seized.
The Monaco-based businessman was giving evidence at the trial of his two housekeepers, Jane Hagan. 50, and her 53-year-old partner Terence Horan, who deny stealing thousands of pounds worth of items from Castle Grant, near Grantown on Spey, last year.
The trial heard Mr Whyte was being besieged by debt collectors and unpaid suppliers as well as receiving threats of violence.
It also heard allegations of threats to poison him and harm his daughter and a claim that, two months after Rangers went into administration, insurance companies would not cover the castle.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist, QC, was also told how Mr Whyte threatened his wife that she would never see her children again if she took anything from the castle when the Bank of Scotland began repossession proceedings over unpaid monthly mortgage fees in May 2012.
The businessman denied he had asked his housekeepers to store and hide his personal items to prevent them being seized.
He told Ms Hagan's solicitor Willie Young: "Absolutely not. I gave no such instruction. Why would I do that? No court order had been made against me."
On the first day of his evidence last month Mr Whyte had to read out a letter written by Ms Hagan, 51, which contained details of terror threats, a claim that Mr Whyte had bankrupted his father three times, and treated his wife "in an appalling way".
It also disclosed that the bank was poised to repossess his Highland home at Castle Grant and he could have been facing jail for his "illegal activities".
Mr Whyte admitted that he and his girlfriend, Isobel Anderson, had gone into the couple's accommodation quarters and examined their computer. Mr Whyte said Ms Anderson had found the letter in the kitchen.
Yesterday he denied several times a suggestion by Mr Young that he had tampered or edited the letter. He said: "Nobody tampered with it. Nobody edited it."
Asked by Mr Horan's agent Eilidh Macdonald if he was angry at the letter's content and if he had made up the theft story, he replied: "I am pretty thick skinned. It was just a regurgitation of what had been printed by Scottish newspapers."
Questioned about the civil case between the Bank of Scotland over mortgage arrears, he said: "I believe it has been resolved. It involved a dispute between my wife and myself over who was going to make what payment."
Mr Horan and Ms Hagan, who both now live in Bicester, deny stealing an array of items from Castle Grant between June 1 and September 7, 2012.
Both are alleged to have stolen items including a quad bike, quantities of coins and Dutch guilders, a silver photograph frame, a hip flask and cups, three sets of cufflinks, a fuel card, a telescope and case.
They are also charged with stealing other items including three pens, two lamps, headed notepaper, five chairs and a table, a chest, a compass, two wooden bowls, a photograph album, a trunk, a planter, two jumpers, a bin, a wheel, two heaters, a bag of electrical items.
Mr Whyte's estranged wife, Kim also gave evidence for the prosecution. She said: "Jane and Terence had told me on several occasions they were going to take items from the castle in lieu of unpaid salary from a certain point that year.
"I remember saying to them not to take items that belonged to me. They were unhappy and aware of my situation with my husband and things that were not paid to me.
"They fully expected not to get paid by him. But I did not give them my permission."
She added: "I got a very, very unpleasant phone call from Craig after Jane told him I was going to remove some of the stuff belonging to me. He said that I would never see my kids again if I did."
Asked by Ms Swan if she felt any loyalty to her husband, she said: "Not a lot. Er, that's a no."
The trial continues.
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