Suzanne Pilley trial: Court hears of ‘cleaner’ smell in accused’s car

Edinburgh Evening news.

Published on Friday 24 February 2012 12:16

A POLICE scene of crime examiner smelt “cleaning fluid or air freshener” in the boot of murder accused David Gilroy’s car which lingered for days, a court has heard.

Mark Heron said that he detected the “fresh, clean fragrance” after opening the boot of the Vauxhall Vectra while describing the rest of the interior as “not particularly clean”.

The court heard that dogs trained to track dead bodies “showed interest” in the boot of the car, which had been seized by detectives after Suzanne Pilley vanished, but forensic experts could find no fibre evidence that the missing bookkeeper was kept inside it.

Two specialist “cadaver dogs” also reacted to three different areas in the garage used by Ms Pilley and Gilroy’s city centre employers.

Mr Heron told the High Court in Edinburgh that the animals were trained to freeze or sit down when they picked up the scent of a body.

He said that he led a team tasked with examining the garage of Infrastructure Management Ltd (IML) in Thistle Street. He carried out the first of up to 15 visits to the garage on May 9, 2010, five days after Ms Pilley was last seen alive.

Mr Heron, 47, said: “The dog made its way round the garage sniffing the garage floor and corners, piping, ducts, all those sorts of items.

“The dog, I can’t remember if it sat down or paused at three specific areas within the garage area.”

The areas were next to the doorway leading to stairs up to IML’s office, and parts of the cement floor of two parking bays in the garage.

Later that day, Mr Heron said he visited the police’s secure garage in Sighthill with the two dog handlers to examine Gilroy’s car.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC asked what he experienced when he opened the boot and he said: “I could smell either a cleaning fluid or an air freshener-type smell.”

He said on a subsequent visit to the vehicle, seized by police at around 5am on May 6, he again detected it, adding: “I am 100 per cent certain I could smell it.”

Mr Heron said one of the dogs went into the boot and “showed interest in two areas”. He added: “My observation was that the top right hand corner and the left front corner the dog paused and showed interest in these areas.”

Mr Heron said numerous forensic checks had been conducted in the Thistle Street garage. Defence counsel Jack Davidson QC said there was no forensic link from the examination of the stairway, basement and garage to Gilroy in relation to the inquiry. Mr Heron replied: “Not as far as I am aware.”

Mr Heron agreed that the forensic investigation had been “extensive and detailed”, including 209 tapings to pick up fibres from every inch of the Vectra’s boot, but none was linked to Ms Pilley that he was aware of.

Mr Prentice asked Mr Heron whether a waterproof jacket would shed many fibres, an item of clothing Ms Pilley was wearing shortly before she disappeared. Mr Heron replied: “It would shed very little.”

Gilroy, 49, of Silverknowes Brae, has denied murdering Ms Pilley, 38, on May 4, 2010, at Thistle Street, or elsewhere in Scotland.

Part of the charge alleges that he concealed her body within the premises of IML and transported it to various locations in Scotland in the Vectra’s boot. He is also alleged to have bought air fresheners.

The trial continues.

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/suzanne_pilley_trial_court_hears_of_cleaner_smell_in_accused_s_car_1_2137038

From what I can see the main basis of the evidence is circumstantial & the cadaver dogs alerts. Hopefully this may help TB show that the McCanns really arent CLEARED or even obviously innocent (which I doubt they are).

It is very good that Gillysport got this to the forum. But had she been a keen advocate of the truth then she would surely have noted that the Hollie and Anne Greig Case at the High Court in London, had a media blackout and was never going to be reported in the mainstream media.

As it happens I do not find fault with Gillsport who should now feel like an idiot.

I find fault with the system you are now speaking out against. Let us get together on this. If we cannot protect our children and vulnerable adults without STATE INTERFERENCE which makes things worse for those children and adults, we do not have a society worth fighting for/

jmac wrote:It is very good that Gillysport got this to the forum. But had she been a keen advocate of the truth then she would surely have noted that the Hollie and Anne Greig Case at the High Court in London, had a media blackout and was never going to be reported in the mainstream media.

As it happens I do not find fault with Gillsport who should now feel like an idiot.

I find fault with the system you are now speaking out against. Let us get together on this. If we cannot protect our children and vulnerable adults without STATE INTERFERENCE which makes things worse for those children and adults, we do not have a society worth fighting for/

I am aware of the Hollie Greg (although I am by no means an expert on it) case and Tony has already shared the latest information on it this evening so I fail to see why I should be an idiot for sharing a case with a very similar level of evidence (including the dogs) to the McCann case. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

Here here Gillyspot - or should it be Gillysport or Gillsport?!

I have come across a few people on this forum who perhaps ought to feel like an idiot but I don't include Gillyspot among them.

If you understood the Hollie Greig case, and the media blackout and ramifications, you would know that if this case came out in the mainstream media it would blow apart the workings of the Government.



To work on some small detail, by picking through the McCann case files, whilst there is something huge afoot, is indeed a little bit ridiculous. I mean no offence, by the way. I am just pointing you in a direction and that is all ... you`re efforts would be better placede elsewhere ...

jmac wrote:If you understood the Hollie Greig case, and the media blackout and ramifications, you would know that if this case came out in the mainstream media it would blow apart the workings of the Government.



To work on some small detail, by picking through the McCann case files, whilst there is something huge afoot, is indeed a little bit ridiculous. I mean no offence, by the way. I am just pointing you in a direction and that is all ... you`re efforts would be better placede elsewhere ...

Err.....You seem certain something hugh is afoot, so what is it then may I ask - where is your evidence to support that?

Jmac seems to have missed the title of this topic - it's about a case in court with similar circumstantial evidence as is available (rather less in fact) as in the McCann case.
Therefore it is very much of interest to see how this is developing and how it is reported.
I can't see what the Hollie Creig case has to do with this. It isn't in the title and nobody mentioned it except Jmac, who seems to have inside information on the effects of the case on the government.

Keep us in the loop, Gillyspot, this is very relevant!.

hello....here is the thread I started on this case.... mods maybe we can combine all comments if you think that's ok? thanks.

https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t4419p10-edinburgh-man-on-trial-for-murder-without-the-body-being-foundinteresting

tigger wrote:Jmac seems to have missed the title of this topic - it's about a case in court with similar circumstantial evidence as is available (rather less in fact) as in the McCann case.
Therefore it is very much of interest to see how this is developing and how it is reported.
I can't see what the Hollie Creig case has to do with this. It isn't in the title and nobody mentioned it except Jmac, who seems to have inside information on the effects of the case on the government.

Keep us in the loop, Gillyspot, this is very relevant!.

The cleaning chemical lingering smell is at par with mccanns airing of the car boot as circumstantial evidence one would think.
If one is acceptable in Court then the other ?

jmac said "To work on some small detail, by picking through the McCann case files, whilst there is something huge afoot, is indeed a little bit ridiculous. I mean no offence, by the way. I am just pointing you in a direction and that is all ... you`re efforts would be better placede elsewhere ..."
Jmac's point being it's a waste of time discussing the details of mccanns case files 'cos he thinks something "hugh"; I, for one, am interested to know what she thinks the "something hugh" is, since she didn't spell it out.