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Skeleton found by explorer at Fife industrial estate, murder trial told

David Barnes is on trial accused of murdering Ean Coutts and then posing as him to obtain items such as prescription Viagra.

By Jamie Buchan

November 8 2023, 4:36pm

Ean Coutts remains were found in Glenrothes.

A murder trial has heard how a “mummified” skeleton was discovered by explorers at an abandoned Fife business unit.

James Fenton, who visits derelict and unused buildings as a hobby, said he first thought the human remains found in a cupboard at Whithill Industrial Esate, Glenrothes, were a “prop”.

The grim find on September 27 2020 sparked a major police investigation.

Fife man David Barnes, 33, has gone on trial accused of murdering father-of-three Ean Coutts and attempting to set fire to his body at the Glenrothes industrial park.

It is alleged he used his stolen bank card to go on a spending spree and posed as his alleged victim to get Viagra on prescription.

Barnes denies all charges.

Discovery

Mr Fenton told jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh he liked to visit abandoned and disused buildings for fun.

“I don’t think I’ve done it since,” he said.

The 37-year-old said he and three others visited the Glenrothes industrial estate, after exploring an old fever hospital.

The group went into unit number 99 and looked into a doorless cupboard-type area at the back.

James Fenton at Edinburgh High Court. He found the skeletal remains in Glenrothes.

“At first I thought it was just animal bones,” he said.

“Then I went in and had a wee bit of a look.

“There was stuff all over the top. I kicked a black tray off, and that’s when I saw a foot.”

Mr Fenton told Advocate Depute Alex Prentice KC: “When I looked further I could see the back of the skull.“

He said he next noticed “mummified skin.”

”I still wasn’t convinced it was a body, I thought it was a prop.”

Police at Whitehills Industrial Estate, Glenrothes, in September 2020.

He called police after another member of the group convinced him it was human remains.

On day one of the murder trial, jurors were shown a police photo of the skeletal remains.

In the image, the body is seen lying face down on the floor of the industrial unit.

Judge Lord Mulholland warned jurors and members of the public before the single image was displayed on court monitors.

Stolen suitcases and victim’s sister

Barnes faces 36 charges, including attempting to induce money from Mr Coutts’ sister Audrey Reid by texting her while pretending to be her brother.

Ms Reid told the trial she had drifted apart from Mr Coutts, but was surprised to receive a text apparently from his phone during his daughter’s wedding in October 2019.

The 54-year-old, from Montrose, said: “He was wanting to borrow money.”

She told him no but received further messages from the same number.

The trial also heard from 41-year-old HGV driver Daniel Anderson who said he and Barnes used to steal luggage from Edinburgh Airport.

Mr Anderson said they visited Whitehall Industrial Estate to get rid of the bags.

He said he became aware of publicity surrounding Mr Coutts when CID officers turned up at his door.

Allegations

Prosecutors alleged Barnes murdered Mr Coutts – also known as Ian – by unknown means on September 3 2019 at either a property in Main Street, Kinglassie, in Lochgelly, or elsewhere in Scotland.

He is accused of removing his alleged victim’s body from the Main Street address using a wheelie bin.

It is alleged he then tried to burn the remains at Whitehill Industrial Estate, Glenrothes “in an attempt to conceal his identity.”

Barnes is accused of fraudulently using his alleged victim’s bank card to obtain goods from various outlets around Fife including McDonalds and Morrisons.

Prosecutors allege he obtained more than £100 worth of products from an online supplier called Mental Hamster.

Barnes is further accused of posing as Mr Coutts to get Viagra and nicotine patches on prescription at Wallsgreen Medical Practice, Cardenden.

It is also alleged he also bought tickets for a show at Rothes Hall, Glenrothes, by using Mr Coutts’ bank card.

Barnes is further accused of applying for a credit card in Mr Coutts’ name stating he was a £56,000-a-year self-employed forklift driver.

And it is alleged he tried to use Mr Coutts’ details in an attempt to take out a mobile phone contract with AO Mobile and a new credit card from the Nationwide Building Society.

The final charge alleges that on February 10 2020 Barnes phoned the Department of Work and Pensions, pretended to be Mr Coutts and told staff he was living in a caravan in England, with no access to the internet, and he no longer required benefit payments.

Prosecutors claim this was an attempt to pervert the course of justice by persuading staff that Mr Coutts was still alive.

The trial before Lord Mulholland continues.

The 36 charges

1) On July 3 2016 at Edinburgh Airport, steal a suitcase and contents;
2) On August 31 2019 at 144 Main Street, Kinglassie, Lochgelly or elsewhere, steal a Nationwide Visa debit card in the name of Ean Coutts;
3) Between August 31 2019 and January 18 2020, at Moffat Court, Glenrothes, order £606.69 of goods via a Paypal account in the name of Ean Coutts, thus gain £606.69 from the account by theft;
4) On September 3 2019 at 144 Main Street, Kinglassie, assault and murder Ean Coutts;
5) On September 3 2019 at 144 Main Street, Kinglassie, steal a mobile phone from Ean Coutts;
6) On September 3 2019 at 144 Main Street, Kinglassie, steal a wheelie bin;
7) On various occasions between September 2 2019 and January 4 2021 use a bank card in the name of Ean Coutts at ATMs in stores in Glenrothes, Kinglassie, Kirkcaldy, Prestonpans and elsewhere, gain £5610 by theft;
8) On September 3 2019 at 144 Main Street, Kinglassie, remove the body of Ean Coutts in a wheelie bin to an abandoned industrial unit at Unit 99 Whitehill Industrial Estate, Glenrothes and attempt to burn it in an attempt to conceal his identity and attempt to defeat the ends of justice;
9) On September 6 2019 at McDonald’s, Flemington Road, Glenrothes, use the bank card to obtain goods worth £15.50 by fraud;
10) On September 14 2019 at Morrisons, Flemington Road, Glenrothes, use the bank card to obtain fuel worth £55.25 by fraud;
11) On September 15 2019, use the bank card to obtain goods from O2worth £22.99 by fraud;
12) On various occasions between September 21 2019 and January 16 2020 at Morrisons, Flemington Road, Glenrothes, use the bank card to obtain fuel worth £398.39, thereby stealing the fuel;
13) On September 27 2019 at Poundstretcher, Pentland Park, Glenrothes, use the bank card to obtain goods worth £1.18 by fraud;
14) On various occasions between October 1 2019 and January 30 2020 at Lomond Pharmacy, Main Street, Kinglassie, pretend to have authority to uplift medication for Ean Coutts and obtain prescribed medication by fraud;
15) On October 8 2019 at Co-op, Links Road, Prestonpans, use the bank card to obtain fuel worth £9.80 by fraud;
16) On October 9 2019 at Essentials, Links Road, Prestonpans, use the bank card to obtain fuel worth £3.09 by fraud;
17) On various occasions between October 21 2019 and October 25 2019, pretend to be Ean Coutts, to gain £650 into a Nationwide Building Society account by fraud;
18) On October 22 2019 apply for a Paypal account in the name of Ean Coutts and obtain that account by fraud;
19) On various occasions between October 22 2019 and January 8 2020, use the Paypal account to obtain £94.56 of goods from online retailer Mental Hamster, by fraud;
20) On October 23 2019 and October 25 2019, pretend to Audrey Reid to be Ean Coutts, to gain money into a Nationwide Building Society account by fraud;
21) On October 24 2019 at Wallsgreen Medical Practice, Cardenden, pretend to be Ean Coutts to gain a repeat prescription for nicotine patches and Viagra by fraud;
22) On November 29 2019 pretend to be Ean Coutts to staff at Capital One to gain a credit card in his name by fraud;
23) On two occasions between December 5 2019 and January 6 2020 use the credit card at ATMs in Glenrothes to steal £80;
24) On December 7 2019 at Boots, Lyon Square, Glenrothes use the bank card to gain goods worth £46.75 by fraud;
25) On December 9 2019 at Rothes Hall, Glenrothes, use the bank card to gain tickets for a show worth £24 by fraud;
26) On December 11 2019 at Fife Sport and Leisure, east Port, Dunfermline, use the credit card to gain goods worth £19.50 by fraud;
27) On December 12 and 13 use the credit card to gain £41.87 from online retailer onlinefillings.co.uk by fraud;
28) On December 12 2019 at Toolstation Ltd, Kirkcaldy, use the credit card to gain £14.98 of goods by fraud;
29) On December 12 2019 use the credit card to gain £29,07 of goods online from TLC Southern by fraud;
30) On December 15 2019 at McDonald’s, Flemington Road, Glenrothes, use the credit card to obtain goods worth £8.29 by fraud;
31) On December 31 2019 pretend to employees of AO Mobile, by telephone, to be Ean Coutts and obtain and mobile phone and contract by fraud;
32) On various occasions between January 5 and 11 2020, attempt to obtain a credit card in the name of Ean Coutts, online, from Nationwide, by fraud;
33) On January 8 2020 use the Paypal account to obtain £36.98 of goods from Mental Hamster, by fraud;
34) On January 31 2020 at McDonald’s, Central Retail Park, Kirkcaldy, use the bank card to obtain goods worth £10.35 by fraud;
35) On January 23 2020 at Homebase, Saltire Retail Park, Glenrothes, use the bank card to obtain goods worth £20.94 by fraud;
36) On February 10 2020 having committed the crimes libelled, in an attempt to evade capture and prosecution, contact the Department of Work and Pensions by telephone and pretend to be Ean Coutts, living in a caravan in England with no internet access and no longer requiring benefits to induce the employee to believe Ean Coutts, in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.