Perthshire murder charges allege accused moved knife

A man allegedly murdered a woman then placed a knife under her body to make it look as if she had fallen on it.

Mohammed Ali Abboud will stand trial in November charged with killing Agnieszka Szefler at a property in Bridge of Earn on January 23.

The 56-year-old is said to have bitten Miss Szefler on the body and repeatedly struck her with a knife or similar item.

The murder charge claims Ali Abboud then pursued and straddled the 27-year-old before again hitting her with a blade.

Prosecutors allege he “previously envinced malice and ill will” towards Polish-born Miss Szefler.

Ali Abboud also faces a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

This includes a claim that he removed a knife “from the position it was in” and placed it under the body of Miss Szefler.

It is alleged this was to “give the appearance” that she had fallen on to the weapon.

Ali Abboud is also said to have repeatedly struck himself on the body with a knife to give the impression he had been attacked by Miss Szefler.

The case against Ali Abboud called on Tuesday for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

A trial was set for November 27 at the High Court in Edinburgh.