Men accused of killing Amy Rose Wilson in car chase after attempted drug deal robbery

A man has told a murder trial of how he travelled in a car that came under attack following a car park drug deal.

A witness told jurors on Monday that he was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Amy Rose Wilson between Cumbernauld and Falkirk on July 29, 2023.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the man told police officers that another man was also travelling with them.

The journey took place just a short time before three men allegedly murdered Amy Rose and attempted to murder the other passenger in the Falkirk area.

The court heard how the trio travelled to a car park of a branch of B&Q in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. Once there, the court heard how a suitcase was placed in the boot of Amy Rose’s car.

The witness told the police that he was “certain” the suitcase contained narcotics. He told officers: “I could smell cannabis.”

The court heard that the car travelled to the witness’s home in Falkirk, and he got out. Once there, the court heard how a black Mercedes car “flew into the street” and two men got out of the German car with their faces covered.

The court heard that the other male passenger had also got out of the car. One of the males who was in the Mercedes was “really tall and really muscular”. One of them was carrying a “hammer or an adjustable spanner”.

Describing what happened next, the witness told officers that one of the men broke a window in Amy Rose’s car.

He said: “He hit the car door with his hand and the window just exploded. It was like a backhander.”

The witness told detectives investigating the incident that the other man “got back into Amy’s car” and was heard shouting “Amy Go! Go! Go!”

The court then heard that Amy drove off, and the Mercedes followed them.

The witness was giving evidence on the second day of proceedings against Arslan Sajid, 24, Andrew Gregoire, 29, Steven Hornsby, 55, and Anthony Davidson, 32.

The quartet is standing trial on a number of charges including conspiracy and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Sajid, Gregorie and Davidson are also accused of murdering Amy Rose and attempting to murder her passenger.

On Monday, the witness was asked about his memories of what happened on July 29 by prosecutor Alan Cameron KC. He said that Amy Rose was the “girlfriend” of his “good friend”.

The court heard that the man walked away from Amy Rose’s car after it came under attack from the men who had been in the black Mercedes.

He said he tried to later contact his friend by phone but couldn’t reach him. He then said he left his house to go for a walk and he saw Amy Rose’s car at a bus stop in Falkirk’s New Carron Road.

Speaking about the car, Mr Cameron asked the witness: “What sort of condition was it in?”

The witness replied: “Destroyed.”

Jurors previously heard the contents of a legal document detailing the charges which the Crown have brought against the four men.

Prosecutors claim that on “various occasions between May 1, 2023, and July 29, 2023” at locations across the UK, Sajid and his co-accused conspired with each other to assault and rob persons of a number of controlled drugs and money.

The charge states that “in pursuance” of the “conspiracy” the quartet communicated with each other for “the purpose of discussing and planning assault and robbery, source and obtain gloves, hammers, bladed instruments and vehicle registered KM 58 TPU.”

They are said to have done these things “all for the intended use in assault and robbery”. The charge states that “having acquired knowledge that an illicit controlled drugs transaction was to take place at Westway retail park, Cumbernauld” they travelled from the south east of England to Scotland in two vehicles.

The quartet then allegedly travelled to Westway retail park in Cumbernauld and did “monitor and observe” an “illicit drugs transaction taking place which involved [the man] and Amy Rose Wilson.”

Prosecutors claim that Amy Rose and the man were followed to Foundry Street, Falkirk, “whilst they were in possession of said controlled drugs”.

Prosecutors also claim that on July 29, 2023, at Foundry Street and other locations on the B902 road in Falkirk, Sajid, Davidson, and Gregoire assaulted the man and Amy Rose Wilson in an attempt to rob them of “a number of controlled drugs and money”.

The Crown claim the men brandished hammers and bladed “articles” and smashed the windows of the car.

The Crown claims that the men’s alleged actions caused Amy Rose and the man to “flee” in the car they were in. The men are said to have pursued Amy Rose’s vehicle.

The men then allegedly struck the car they were pursuing, forcing it onto the other side of the road.

Prosecutors say a collision took place and the car driven by Amy Rose Wilson was forced off the road which caused “severe injury” to the man – the charge states that the men attempted to murder him and that Amy Rose was “fatally injured” and that she was murdered.

The Crown also claim that Sajid caused Amy Rose’s death and serious injury to the man by driving dangerously.

Prosecutors also claim that between July 29, 2023, and August 2, 2023, at locations in the Falkirk area and the south east of England, all four accused did a number of things to “avoid detection, arrest and prosecution” for their alleged actions with regards to Amy Rose and the man.

Prosecutors say the men carried out these actions with the intention to “defeat the ends of justice” and they did “attempt to defeat the ends of justice.”

At the start of proceedings Sajid, in the presence of the jury, offered to plead guilty to the charge of driving dangerously. His lawyer Angela Gray KC made the offer with the condition that a phrase was deleted from the charge.

However, Mr Cameron rejected this offer, and the trial began.

Sajid has entered not guilty pleas to the other charges he is facing, and his co-accused have also entered not guilty pleas to the charges they are facing.

The trial, before judge Lady Drummond, continues.