THROUGHOUT the Jenny Methven murder trial, much was made of the large sums of money found in the cottage the pensioner shared with her son David.

The court heard that a total of £159,000 was found in the house in Forteviot, Perthshire – including £105,000 stashed in a suitcase in a locked cupboard in the living room.

The victim's son David Methven, a millionaire who runs his own contracting business, claimed up to £30,000 of the cash belonged to him, and that his mother was "paranoid" about putting her money in the bank in case it was taken away from her should she go into care.

During the trial, Detective Sergeant Colin Lorimer, who led the police inquiry, was asked if he had information that Mr Methven may have had criminal links.

He replied that suspicions of threats from "Strathclyde-based, high-level criminality" related to another individual, Anthony Jamieson, who was phoned by Mr Methven on February 21.

Brian McConnachie, QC, defending killer William Kean, said: "What was your understanding of Mr Jamieson's connection to high-level criminality?"

Mr Lorimer said Jamieson was believed to be connected to the notorious Lyons crime family.

However, the policeman went on to say there was no link between Mr Methven and criminal activity.

Mr Methven also fiercely denied the claims in court and said he had simply done some work for Jamieson and they had subsequently become friends.

Papers from Glasgow Sheriff Court reveal Mrs Methven left behind £202,787.25 – most of it to her son. The dog lover left a charitable donation of £100 to the Perthshire Abandoned Dog Society and £1000 to a Claire Urquhart from Spalding, Lincolnshire.