Pensioner 'didn't want to go home' from hospital after attack by murder accused

A pensioner who is said to have been murdered expressed “anxiety” about leaving hospital to go to the home where he was allegedly attacked, a court heard.

A nurse told a jury how William Lambie, 97, had expressed concerns about going back to his property in Dundee’s Dryburgh Gardens on April 15, 2024.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the witness say how she was the senior charge nurse on ward six of the city’s Royal Victoria Hospital when Mr Lambie was admitted there.

The court had earlier heard how Mr Lambie was taken to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital on April 15 last year and found to have sustained a fractured thigh. He was later taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for rehabilitation.

Jurors heard how Mr Lambie was taken to hospital following an alleged incident involving Tandy Swinton, 44. The Crown alleged that Swinton murdered Mr Lambie and attempted to rob him of money at his home.

On Thursday, the nurse, who gave evidence via video link, told the court about how Mr Lambie felt when he was on the ward.

She said: “He was a bit frail and he voiced anxiety to the nursing staff about going home.

“He just didn’t want to go home.

“He began to eat less. He was taking less fluids. He was more tired.

“He seemed to have less confidence in himself and had less resilience.”

The evidence emerged on the second day of proceedings against Swinton, who is standing trial for murder.

Earlier in the day, the court heard how Mr Lambie was a Jehovah’s Witness.

His friends from the Dundee congregation of the Christian faith described Mr Lambie to prosecutor Adrian Stalker as being a very intelligent man who was sociable.

The court heard that Mr Lambie was fond of visiting branches of Greggs in the city for a sausage roll and a cappuccino.

A friend, 72, said: “He was as sharp as a razor. If you wanted a quote from Shakespeare, Bill could give you one.”

However, the man said that following the alleged incident, Mr Lambie started to “deteriorate”.

He added: “I think he was finished.”

Another friend said: “He was quite down. His eyes would fill up.”

The court earlier heard how Mr Lambie was subsequently moved to St Columba’s nursing home in Dundee for end-of-life care on May 22, where he died four days later.

Swinton is accused of demanding money from Mr Lambie and pushing him on the body whereby he fell to the ground to his severe injury and as a consequence of the injury he later died.

She is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice on the same date by seizing his community alarm, attempting to prevent him calling for assistance and when a connection was made informing the operator that there were no issues and no assistance was required.

Swinton is further accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on various occasions on April 14 and 15 last year at another flat in the multi-storey block at Dryburgh Gardens by repeatedly ringing the doorbell at the property of Margaret Chalmers, 82, who is now deceased, and asking her to give her money.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial, before judge Lord Harrower, continues.