THE suspect accused of murdering Emma Caldwell told jurors he is an “innocent man” and insisted: “I am sitting here for something I have not done.”

Iain Packer was in the witness box for a third day of questioning at his trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 51-year-old faces a total of 36 charges of physical and sexual violence involving 25 women including the murder of Miss Caldwell at Limefield Woods in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, on April 5, 2005.

Glasgow Times:

Packer earlier said in his evidence that he had been the victim of “lies” made against him by all the females.

But, prosecutor Richard Goddard KC today suggested it was Packer who had “changed his story” seven times.

Packer said: “It is a scary thing for police to interview you for something that you have not done.”

Mr Goddard replied: “I’d imagine it is a whole lot more scary if you had done it.”

Packer said: “It would be, but I have not done it.”

The advocate depute went on to refer to parts of the prosecution case against Packer.

This included evidence of a 97% match to soil in Packer’s van coming from close to where Miss Caldwell’s naked body was discovered on May 8, 2005.

Packer said he could not explain that as he was “not a scientist”.

He again admitted he had been to the woods with sex workers, but had only been to the area where the body was found during the site visit in this trial.

Packer said: “I cannot admit to something that I have not done.”

In response to another question, he also stated: “How do you think I feel being an innocent man sitting here for something that I have not done?”

Mr Goddard went on to put to him: “Mr Packer, we are way beyond bad luck and coincidences.

“The reality is that if you look at all the evidence knitted together, the reason you have the soil in the van is because you took Emma Caldwell to your particular, peculiar and highly random place.

“You strangled her as you have others, you left her there and took her possessions.”

He replied: “No, I did not.”

Packer was earlier asked about the cable found around Miss Caldwell’s neck.

A woman who knew Packer previously told the court it looked “similar” to the type the sign fitter had in the back of his van.

However, he said she was “mistaken” and that he used a different kind of cable in his job.

Also asked about where he was the day and night before Miss Caldwell’s alleged murder, Packer claimed he could have been at home or work although accepted there were no job records to support that as “the company was gone”.

Evidence is now completed in the trial.

Closing speeches are due to begin on Friday. It will be next week before jurors retire to consider verdicts.

The trial, before judge Lord Beckett, continues.