Nearly two decades after the tragic murder of Emma Caldwell, the accused, Iain Packer, is now on trial for the heinous crime. Packer is charged with strangling Ms. Caldwell, with the alleged intent to rape her, leading to her murder in Limefield Woods, Biggar, on April 5, 2005.
Iain Packer, aged 50, is confronting a total of 46 charges related to 27 women and four males, spanning from 1990 to 2016. The charges encompass 11 alleged rapes, as well as accusations of assault, abduction, sexual assault, and indecent assault. Packer vehemently denies all charges brought against him.
The trial, which commenced on Tuesday, January 16, at the High Court in Glasgow, is anticipated to extend over approximately seven weeks. The jury, sworn in for the proceedings, will scrutinize the evidence presented against Packer.
Emma Caldwell, a 27-year-old sex worker at the time, was last seen at a Glasgow hostel on London Road between 12:30 am and 1:30 am on April 5, 2005. Her lifeless body was discovered in South Lanarkshire woodland around five weeks later, on May 8. Notably, Limefield Woods is implicated in several of the alleged crimes Packer is accused of committing against women.
Among the charges is an accusation of lewd or libidinous practice towards a girl aged 14 or 15 at the time. Additionally, three men and one boy, aged 15 at the time, are listed as victims of alleged assaults in the charges against Packer.
The trial, presided over by Lord Beckett, is ongoing, with the legal process delving into the details surrounding Emma Caldwell's tragic murder and the multitude of charges brought against Iain Packer.