Jordan Johnstone has claimed Angela Newlands was responsible for cutting his sister’s throat with a Stanley knife.
He told a jury that he cradled dying Annalise Johnstone in his arms and tried to staunch the flow of blood from her wound as she took her last breath.
He said he carried Annalise’s body for about 40 minutes before dumping it behind a wall next to the B8062 because he feared Newlands’ father was going to “chop my wee sister up and throw her away”.
Johnstone, 25, was giving evidence in his own defence at the High Court in Livingston after mum-of-four Newlands, 28, was acquitted of the final charge against her yesterday.
She was formally found not guilty on Wednesday of murdering Annalise at Maggie Well’s memorial near Dunning in Perthshire on May 10 last year after judge Lady Scott ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict her.
The prosecution withdrew the final charge against her of attempting to defeat the ends of justice when the court reconvened yesterday and she was also acquitted of that charge.
Johnstone, a prisoner at Edinburgh, denies murder, assault and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The trial continues.
