A former prison officer who murdered tragic Emma Faulds and dumped her body in a forest has cost taxpayers almost £50,000 in legal aid.
Ross Willox, 42, killed Emma, 39, at his house in Monkton, Ayrshire.
He went to desperate lengths to cover his tracks but her body was discovered six weeks after she had been reported missing.
Willox denied all wrongdoing and went on trial at the High Court in Glasgow but was convicted by jurors of the April 2019 murder.
It has now emerged he has racked up a £48,709.50 legal aid bill to cover costs for a defence team lead by Donald Findlay QC.
The bill is set to rise even further once final costs are calculated.
Willox is due back in court to be sentenced later this month.
The pair met at HMP Kilmarnock where they both worked as wardens and began a platonic relationship.
Emma, of Kilmarnock, went to his house but a nationwide manhunt was launched after she failed to turn up for work at Kibble Education Centre in Paisley.
Willox's Mercedes SUV was spotted on CCTV the day after the killing heading towards the area where Emma's body was eventually discovered in Glentrool Forest, Dumfries and Galloway.
His DNA was also discovered on a lever in Emma's BMW 1 series.
Police also discovered Willox had bought four bottles of bleach and rubber gloves at a local bargain store after the killing and a Jaguar car driven by him was also examined by a police dog trained in the scent of dead bodies.
There was also a 92 percent soil match from a pair of Timberland boots compared to the earth which covered Emma's body in the forest.
The court was told Willox had knowledge of the area from his work as a wind farm project manager.
He did not take part in any searches for Emma and insisted the bottles of bleach were used to clean his decking and not wipe away any evidence of a crime.
Police Scotland said there was nothing in his background to suggest Willox was capable of such a crime and they have yet to establish a motive for the murder.
The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) said: "Legal aid is paid to solicitors and advocates to ensure that an accused person is professionally represented in court, so the justice system can operate properly for all concerned."
