A man accused of murder sent his alleged victim messages discussing “killing him” and “putting him in a box” hours before his death.
Arran Fender, 31, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh accused of murdering 44-year-old Gary McMillan in the early hours of May 16 last year at the junction of Lawton Road and Lawton Terrace.
He denies the charges, claiming self-defence.
Prosecuting, advocate depute Murdo McTaggart went through a number of Whatsapp messages exchanged between Fender and Mr McMillan on May 15 as they arranged a meeting at Lochee Park to discuss an ongoing feud.
Fender told Mr McMillan in one message to “pick the place, I’ll be there” and that he was “prepared to go to jail”.
Mr McMillan replied: “If you bring anyone else, I’ll take it out on everything and everyone you care about.”
Other messages sent by Fender to Mr McMillan said: “I’m prepared for the jail, you decide”, and: “I’ll see you in a box end of the the night.”
He also wrote: “No blades nothing, I will kill you”; “Kill me I am going to kill you”, and in one message said: “Away to stamp all over pus” and “No open coffin for you.”
Fender sent Mr McMillan a number of messages which mentioned Mr McMillan “threatening his family”.
Mr McMillan responded to Fender: “Kill me with a blade you better make sure that you do” and in another message said: “Bring a blade all you want, I’ll stick it up your ****.”
The court was previously told the pair had met around 7pm on May 15 at Lochee Park but there was no violence.
Fender denies inflicting blunt force trauma to Mr McMillan and repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife or similar instrument on May 16.
He also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by giving his mother, Annie Hamilton, clothes and footwear he had been wearing during the alleged stabbing, before asking her to dispose of them in a bin chute at Lansdowne Court.
He further denies possessing a knife on May 15 and threatening Mr McMillan with a knife between February 1 and March 31. The trial, before judge Lady Carmichael, continues.
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