BishopAccountability.org
 
  Search for Angelika Was 'Shambolic'

The Herald [Scotland]
April 12, 2007

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1322714.0.0.php

A lawyer yesterday accused police of embarking on a "shambolic" search for the Polish student Angelika Kluk, as a jury heard how the man accused of her murder disappeared soon after officers arrived at the church where her body was eventually found.

Defence QC Donald Findlay listed a catalogue of mistakes he claimed had been made during what was, at the time in September last year, a missing person inquiry.

The body of Angelika, 23, was discovered four days later under the floor of St Patrick's Church in Anderston, Glasgow. Chauffeur Martin Macaskill, 40 - the student's married lover - reported Angelika missing after failing to get any reply to phone or text messages or find her in her room.

Constable Barry Hendren, 27, who had been on the beat for five months, told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday how he and constable Caroline Wilson were sent to St Patrick's about 11.30pm on September 25. The officer told the court he and his colleague were met by Mr Macaskill and parish priest Father Gerry Nugent, 63, who earlier told the trial that he too had a sexual relationship with Angelika.

Also at the church were Angelika's sister Aneta, 28, and Mr Macaskill's wife, Anne. "Pat McLaughlin" was also there, said Mr Hendren, pointing to Peter Tobin, sitting in the dock. Mr Tobin, 60, denies raping and murdering the student in last September.

Questioned by Mr Findlay, defending Mr Tobin, Mr Hendren admitted that, to begin with, he did not know that Anne Macaskill, who was at the church when the officers arrived, was the wife of the man who was reporting his mistress missing. He also agreed that when Fr Nugent said the student was not in his private room it was not searched - even though it emerged hours later that the priest had a visitor there - parishioner Geraldine McGowan.

"This thing got off to a bit of a shambolic start, that's the reality of it," challenged Mr Findlay. "I wouldn't say so," the officer replied.

Mr Hendren admitted there was a mistake in the police form which at one point said the last sighting of Angelika was 5pm on Sunday and elsewhere noted the time as 4pm.

Mr Hendren also agreed that Mr Tobin's promise to remain at the chapel house was not included in the statement the officer completed later and he had not mentioned how Mr Tobin, at the church garage, pointed out Mr Macaskill and said: "I didn't know she was going with him."

Mr Hendren insisted the words had been said, but he did not see the significance.

The lawyer said: "I have to suggest to you, and I do suggest to you, from the very outset, as demonstrated, this was not a police investigation that would deserve the term efficient and thorough'. Do you accept that or do you not?"

Mr Hendren replied: "I accept it but I did it to the best of my ability at the time."

He described how Mr Tobin, whom he took to be the maintenance man, helped search in and around the church.

The trial was shown an official missing person 581 Form which Mr Hendren completed which stated that Mr McLaughlin was the last person to see Angelika - when they were painting a shed together that weekend.

The two officers went to consult their sergeant and returned to the chapel house at 1.51am on the Tuesday.

Advocate-depute Dorothy Bain, prosecuting, asked Mr Hendren: "Did you see Pat (Tobin)?" The policeman told her: "No. He was no longer present. He was not there."

Asked if Mr Tobin had said he was leaving, Mr Hendren said: "No, he said he was going to stay."

Mr Tobin denies all charges against him.

The trial continues.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.