A JUDGE has slammed a decision by prison authorities to leave the man accused of murdering missing Margaret Fleming without a wheelchair.

The trial of Edward Cairney, 77, and his co-accused Avril Jones, 58, collapsed on Thursday and he was due in court yesterday to apply for bail.

Instead, Mr Cairney sat in a G4S van in the court car park after Greenock Prison removed the wheelchair he had been using throughout the trial.

Miss Jones was in court for the hearing, although she did not apply for bail.

Lord Matthews said: “I’m staggered that the Scottish Prison Service think it appropriate to remove the wheelchair Mr Cairney has been using all this time. I want an explanation.”

The judge also said that the possibility of getting a wheelchair for the High Court should be looked into.

Defence QC Thomas Ross said since Mr Cairney was fully committed he became the responsibility of the Scottish Prison Service and was in the vicinity of this court in a van in the car park.

Mr Ross added: "When he was leaving Greenock Prison, the prison withdrew his wheelchair from him.

“The reason given was that it was expected that he would be granted bail and they were presumably concerned they wouldn’t get their wheelchair back."

When he arrived in Glasgow G4S couldn't get him out of the van. The court was told that there are no wheelchair facilities at the High Court. There had been one but the "wheels came off it, quite literally.”

Mr Cairney was granted bail on condition that he does not approach any witnesses.

Prosecutor Iain McSporran QC told the court that the Crown would not oppose bail for Miss Jones if she changes her mind.

Mr Cairney and Miss Jones deny murdering Margaret at Seacroft, Main Road, Inverkip, or elsewhere in Scotland between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000, when she was aged 19.