Prosecutors have dropped an attempted murder charge against a woman who has admitted killing a pensioner following an argument at his home.
Sharyn Stewart, 53, was told yesterday the Crown had decided to withdraw a charge which alleged she tried to take 65-year-old Alan Cowie’s life at his flat in Aberdeen in April 2017.
Stewart is currently standing trial at the High Court in Edinburgh accused of murdering Mr Cowie at his property in the city’s Alexander Terrace on January 2 2018.
She has admitted killing Mr Cowie but her lawyers claim she didn’t murder him as she was suffering from “abnormality of mind” at the time of the incident.
Yesterday prosecutor Angela Gray announced at the end of the defence case she wasn’t pursuing the attempted murder charge.
The announcement came on the sixth day of proceedings.
A legal document given to jurors at the beginning of Ms Stewart’s trial last week stated that prosecutors alleged she pushed Mr Cowie to the ground on April 18 2017.
The charge alleged Stewart then repeatedly kicked him on his head and body and placed a plastic bag on his head and she “did attempt to murder him”.
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Following the Crown’s announcement, judge Lord Pentland asked Ms Stewart to stand up.
He told told her: “I acquit you of this charge.”
Stewart denies the remaining murder charge.
Prosecutors claim on January 2 2018, Stewart murdered Mr Cowie by striking him on the head and body with a bottle before knocking him to the ground.
It is also claimed, during this assault, Stewart stood on Mr Cowie’s neck and restricted his breathing.
A statement of evidence read to the jury at the start of proceedings stated both the defence and the Crown agreed Stewart killed Mr Cowie.
Her lawyers have entered a special defence of diminished responsibility in relation to the murder allegation.
The trial continues.
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