Man accused of Steven Donaldson murder was possessive and jealous, court hears

The Arbroath oil worker's ex-girlfriend - who is also on trial - told police her new partner Steven Dickie believed they were no longer speaking

steven donaldson
Published 16th Apr 2019

A woman told police that a man who's on trial with her for murder was "possessive" and "jealous" of the relationship she had with their alleged victim, a court has heard.

Tasmin Glass,20, told officers that Steven Dickie,24, thought she was no longer in contact with 27-year-old Steven Donaldson.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Miss Glass said Mr Dickie believed she had blocked Mr Donaldson's number on her mobile phone.

The jury also heard that Mr Dickie had told police officers that he repeatedly had sex with Miss Glass in the days before Mr Donaldson's death.

The court heard that on the night before Mr Donaldson's death, Miss Glass received a number of phone calls from her former boyfriend.

The court heard that Miss Glass was driving at the time she received the calls. Mr Dickie's friend, Callum Davidson, was in the car and urged her to answer one call.

Miss Glass told police she was concerned at how Mr Dickie would react if she knew Mr Donaldson was still in touch with her.

She told police officers: "Steven Dickie is protective of me and jealous. I knew if he saw his number he would have gone mental."

The jury heard the evidence on the 11th day of proceedings against Miss Glass, Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson.

The trio, who all come from Kirriemuir, Angus, deny murdering Miss Glass's former boyfriend Mr Donaldson, of Arbroath, Angus, in their home town between June 6 and June 7 2018.

On Tuesday, Detective Constable Nicola Annan,48, read the jury contents of statements which Miss Glass gave to officers investigating the circumstances of Mr Donaldson's death.

She told detectives that she met Mr Donaldson in June 2017. She said he was older and "very full on" with their relationship.

The court heard that Tasmin told officers that she spent part of her week living in Glasgow as she was performing in a band.

She said that her ex partner worked offshore and made quite a lot of cash.

She said: "He earned quite a bit but he also spent quite a bit as well. He liked the high life. His car alone was £700 a month.

"Steven told me his financial outgoings were around £2,000 per month. Steven was also very greedy. He just needed more more money.

"Whenever we stayed in a hotel, it would have to be a suite - a normal room wasn't good enough."

The court heard that she told the police that she split with Mr Donaldson at around the end of April. She said that Mr Donaldson part of the reason why they split was because he had been abusing steroids and that caused him to have "major mood swings".

She said that she remained in contact with Mr Donaldson. On the night he allegedly died, she said that he repeatedly phoned her.

The court heard that on the night of the alleged murder, Tasmin, Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson had gone swimming at a location in Kirriemuir.

Mr Davidson and his girlfriend Claire Ogston were travelling in Miss Glass's car. She said that Mr Mr Davidson told her to answer one of his calls.

She told police that she arranged to meet Mr Donaldson but that he hadn't turned up. She decided to go home as her mum wasn't happy at her being out.

Miss Glass told officers that at the time of Mr Donaldson's death, she owed him £1,000 for a "holiday fund" and that he wanted her to repay it.

The court heard that Miss Glass also heard the details of a phone call that Mr Davidson allegedly made.

She said: "I heard Callum say 'there's a boy coming through from Arbroath. We are going to give him a kicking.'"

She also told the police that she was expecting Mr Donaldson's baby and that she wasn't planning on having the child.

She said: "I'm 11 to 12 weeks pregnant. The father is Steven Donaldson. I'm having the termination in two weeks."

Miss Glass also told officers that she and Steven Dickie weren't going out with each other and were just friends.

She said: "I do not know why he is so possessive or protective as I wasn't really going out with him."

Police Scotland officer Scott McGeachin,46, read a statement given by Mr Dickie following Mr Donaldson's death.

Mr McGeachin, who was a detective constable at the time of the investigation said that Mr Dickie said he had sex with Miss Glass.

He told officers that Mr Dickie said: "We had sex a couple of times. She's into motorbikes. There's a physical attraction."

Mr McGeachin also said that later in the investigation, Mr Davidson was detained and he was told it was on suspicion of murder.

Mr McGeachin said that Mr Davidson spoke to him after being informed of this.

When prosecution lawyer Ashley Edwards QC asked him what Mr Davidson said, the policeman said Mr Davidson's response was: "I think yoose (CORR) are far fetched with this."

Prosecutors claim that between June 6 2018 and June 7 2018, Mr Dickie, Mr Davidson and Miss Glass arranged to meet Mr Donaldson at the Peter Pan play park in Kirriemuir and assaulted him there by repeatedly striking him with "unknown weapons".

It's alleged that Mr Donaldson was then "incapacitated" - the trio are then alleged to have taken Mr Donaldson to the nearby Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve car park.

Once at the park, the Crown claims that Mr Donaldson was struck on the head and body with a knife, baseball bat or similar instruments.

The trio are then alleged to have struck Mr Donaldson on the head and neck with an "unknown heavy bladed instrument".

They are then alleged to have set fire to Mr Donaldson and to his car.

Mr Dickie and Mr Davidson also face a number of other charges including assaults and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

The trio have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial, before judge Lord Pentland, continues