CLASPING her hands tightly and rocking slightly on her heels in the witness box, the mother of Jodi Jones told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday how her daughter kissed her goodbye on the day she died.
Judy Jones, 39, fought back tears as she gave evidence at the murder trial of Luke Mitchell, who is accused of killing the Dalkeith schoolgirl. The 16-year-old was in the dock as Mrs Jones testified.
Jodi's mother told the court she had decided only that afternoon to allow Jodi to resume regular meetings with her boy-friend after being ''grounded'' as a punishment for smoking cannabis and playing truant from school. Jurors also heard that Mrs Jones had been aware that her 14-year-old daughter had been having sex with Mr Mitchell, also 14 at the time.
Mrs Jones spoke highly of her daughter in court, describing her as ''very level-headed'' but also ''very strong-minded''.
The evening of Monday, June 30 last year, the day Jodi died, was at first remarkable only by its ordinariness. Recalling the sequence of events, the mother of three said Jodi had been ''chuffed'' after school when she was told she was allowed to go out again.
Jodi quickly arranged to visit Mr Mitchell, texting him, and receiving a reply, as she sat with her mother on the sofa at around 4.35pm. Mrs Jones said she played a Rod Stewart song for Jodi, as it was a ''hopeful song'' which held special meaning for her, before the teenager got ready to go out.
''What did she do?'' asked Alan Turnbull QC, prosecuting.
''She came into the living room and said 'That's me off now Mum' and she gave me a kiss.''
''Did she say where she was going?'' asked Mr Turnbull.
''Yes, she said she was meeting Luke,'' replied Mrs Jones.
Jodi probably left her home around 4.50pm. As she left the house, she asked her mum to save some of the lasagne she was cooking until she got back.
The court heard that at 5.40pm Mr Mitchell called the house and spoke to Allen Ovens, 32, Mrs Jones's partner. He told the court he spoke briefly to Mr Mitchell, someone he had seen only two or three times. When the caller asked: ''Is Jodi in?'' he replied: ''No, who is calling?'' The caller told him: ''It's Luke.''
''She has already left to meet you,'' replied Mr Ovens. ''OK, cool,'' said Mr Mitchell, and rang off.
Donald Findlay QC, defending, asked him: ''You didn't get the impression that the person on the phone was agitated, uptight, champing at the bit or in a bad temper or anything like that?'' Mr Ovens said: ''No.''
Her voice shaking, Mrs Jones described how, hours later, she came to believe something was wrong when Jodi broke her curfew of 10pm.
At 10.20pm, she texted a message to Mr Mitchell's phone, because Jodi's was broken: ''Right Toad (Jodi's nickname), that's you grounded for another three weeks,'' it said.
A minute later, Mr Mitchell called back. Mrs Jones said: ''He said he hadn't seen Jodi all night. I said: 'What do you mean you haven't seen her? She was with you?' If I recollect, I just put the phone down. There was something really wrong.''
She called Mr Mitchell back and told him: ''I just want the truth. If she is with you, I don't care. I just want to know. He said: 'I haven't seen her.'''
Mrs Jones began phoning friends and later she called the police. Jodi's body was found later that night.
In the days following Jodi's death, Mrs Jones twice visited Mr Mitchell's home. The first time was to comfort him, she said. The second visit was after police searched the Mitchell household. ''There was something I had to ask him. It had been in my mind all week,'' she said. ''Why did you not phone me back that night? He said: 'Because I thought you had grounded her.''' However, she told the court there was no way he could have thought she was grounded.
Mr Mitchell denies attacking Jodi in woods near Roan's Dyke, hitting her and constricting her neck, and striking her with a knife or similar instrument, before and after she died. He also denies charges of possessing knives in public places and being concerned in the supply of cannabis resin.
The case continues.
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