MURDER-accused Colin Coats has claimed it was "monstrous lies" to suggest he had abducted, tortured and killed missing financial adviser Lynda Spence.
Coats, 42, was giving evidence for a second day at the High Court in Glasgow.
He and co-accused Philip Wade, 42 deny torturing and murdering Miss Spence at a flat in Meadowfoot Road, West Kilbride, between April 14 and 28, 2011.
David Parker, 38, and Paul Smith, 47, who were also originally charged with murder have had reduced pleas to assaulting Miss Spence to her severe injury accepted. They told the jury they babysat Miss Spence while Coats and Spence visited almost daily and tortured her.
Yesterday, Coats when questioned by Solicitor General Lesley Thomson, QC, prosecuting said: "I believe there have been monstrous lies told."
Coats was asked why three people who had given evidence in the trial claimed he had confessed to killing Lynda, including a former cell mate, and replied: "I think they were put under pressure by the police."
Miss Thomson quizzed Coats saying: "Are you saying they're making it up because they have been put under pressure by the police?" Coats said: "I believe the police used unconventional methods. You can't imagine the pressure I've been under and my loved ones."
Miss Thomson replied: "What we have heard from witness after witness is that they are afraid," and Coats said: "I believe they are afraid of the police."
Coats then referred to miscarriages of justice saying: "You hear about miscarriages of justice. So-called confessions in prison where someone serves 25 years in prison and then it's found out they were lies."
It was put to Coats that by the end of 2010 he was well aware that Miss Spence was lying to him and he replied: "I was aware she was always difficult to pin down to the detail of things."
Coats denied he had shown businessman John Glen a thumb on April 20, 2011, and replied: "That didn't happen."
He also denied Miss Spence was ever bound to a chair in the attic of the flat in Meadowfoot Road and claimed the attic space housed a cannabis factory."
The trial before judge Lord Pentland continues.
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