- Written by Graham Ogston
- BBC Scotland Tayside & Central Reporter
Catherine Pride's body was discovered in her Fishcross home in March last year.
A man accused of murdering his wife “appeared confused” when he was informed that her body was lying on the kitchen floor, a police officer has told a court.
John Pride, 77, had been charged with murdering Catherine Pride at her home in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.
The incident occurred the week before their 50th wedding anniversary in March 2023.
Mr Pride suffers from dementia and has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
The case is being heard at the High Court in Dundee, where evidence will be led before a judge but there will be no jury.
The court was shown graphic photographs of Catherine Pride's bloody body on the floor of the couple's kitchen.
Mr Pride, known as Ian, had alerted neighbors that there was a body in the house.
Neighbor Jade Rennick told police in a 999 call played in court: “My wife is lying on the floor cold and has a head injury.”
PC Robin Gibb told the court that when they arrived at the scene, bloodstains could be seen in many rooms of the house.
Catherine Pride's body was discovered in her Fishcross home in March last year.
She said Mr Pride was “calm but confused and didn't know what was going on”.
Officers say Pride didn't know who was in the kitchen and was told it was Kate.
Mr. Pride would repeatedly answer, “Is that my Kate?”
The officer added: “He was worried that if it was him he would get into trouble.”
“Ignorance of everything”
Crime scene officer Sergeant Ian Duthie told the court he visited the scene two days later.
“There was no indication that a third party was involved,” he said at the hearing.
The detective said he and colleagues arrested Mr Pride at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert on April 4 and said the pensioner was “not aware of everything that was going on”.
The court also heard evidence from Mr Pride's sister Margaret Stewart, 73, who said her brother was diagnosed with dementia in 2022 and suffered from memory problems.
She said Mrs Pride was her brother's carer and he was a “kind-hearted and very easy-going person”.
Mrs Pride's cousin Margaret Anderson told the court that she and her husband had visited the couple a week before Mrs Pride's death.
She said Mr Pride seemed more “isolated” than ever and was having trouble sleeping.
In court, she told police: “Kate said she had tried to wake him up the night before and she tried to stop him. Ian said, “Leave him alone or he'll cause a scene.'' It is said that
The hearing before Lord Arthurson continues.
