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Abduction trial accused denies trying to take advantage of vulnerable woman





George McPhee has denied abducting the woman. The trial continues.
George McPhee has denied abducting the woman. The trial continues.

A JOBLESS man has rejected claims that he tried to take advantage of a vulnerable young Inverness woman by offering her drink and food then abducting her in a car.

George McPhee, who is on trial before a jury at Inverness, has denied abducting 23-year-old Nicole Calder in Inverness on January 18 last year.

It is alleged the Wick man detained her against her will in a locked car and that she was driven to Tain and she was informed her that she was being taken to Wick.

A jury at Inverness Sheriff Court has heard how McPhee was driven to Inverness by a friend, Alistair Budge, in McPhee’s brand new Vauxhall Astra car, where they picked up Ms Calder in the city centre.

Ms Calder was known to McPhee as a drinking companion.

She claims she was taken against her will.

Two Tain mums have described how they saw McPhee with Ms Calder who was in a distressed state near the Scotsburn junction at Tain later that evening.

The women said they were concerned for Ms Calder, who was being "dragged back to the car" by McPhee. They said she was screaming "let me go" and when they walked back towards them, McPhee let her go.

McPhee (47), of North Murchison street, Wick,gave evidence for the first time today (Friday) and said at any time in the journey had Ms Calder asked for the vehicle to be stopped he would have done so.

The jury has heard evidence of a series of terrifying text messages sent by Ms Calder, who got into the back of the car after being given a meal from McPhee at a kebab shop in Church Street.

Ms Calder told the jury he offered to buy her vodka and then bought her a meal before she got into the car. Mr Budge was at the wheel. She claimed they told her they were going to Nairn. But when they headed across the Kessock Bridge she became alarmed.

Ms Calder sent the messages to her sister Cheryl from the back of the car.

She told her sister: “Shelly, don’t phone me. Am in the back of a car to Nairn. I thought I knew the owner of the car. Can’t get out. They locked the doors.”

In other text messages she told her sister she had been taken across the Kessock Bridge after being told they were going to Nairn and she was scared and asked her sister not to tell their mum.

She said she told the driver to pull into a lay-by but he kept on driving and the doors were locked.

McPhee, who said he was unemployed but seeking work on offshore supply vessels, said Mr Budge was a friend who agreed to drive to Inverness from Wick for a drink that evening.

McPhee said he would never drink and drive and Mr Budge drove him in return for the use of his car.

He said he had known Ms Calder for about a year and they occasionally had a drink together.

He claimed he told her he was going back to Wick and she was quite clear about where they were going when she entered the car.

“If she wasn’t happy about going she wouldn’t have got in the car,” he said.

He denied ever mentioning going to Nairn and said he told her that he would drive her back to Inverness from Wick when he was sober.

He denied that Ms Calder was crying and upset on the journey north.

When they reached Tain he said he was going to be sick and he vomited into his hat because he was in his new car. Then he got out of the vehicle. He said Ms Calder got out to help him.

Ms Calder got out when the car stopped at Tain and ran across the main road and claimed McPhee chased her and grabbed her in an attempt to return her to the car.

McPhee said he was trying to escort her back to the car "for her own safety".

Roderick Urquhart told McPhee he was in control and had told the driver what to do .He said she escaped and he went after her and took hold of her and the women heard her screams. The fiscal said McPhee knew Ms Calder was a young women with problems and liked a drink.

He said he had given her food and a cigarette and the offer of vodka was an inducement.

“You were going to get her in the car and you were going to use her.”

“No I was not,” replied McPhee.

The trial continues.


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