Missing woman's mother sent texts

Jan 24 2013

The mother of a missing businesswoman sent anxious text messages after failing to hear from her daughter, a murder trial has heard.

Lynda Spence's mother Patricia became "very worried" as the days passed and she had not spoken to her daughter, the High Court in Glasgow heard. Ms Spence, 27, has not been seen since leaving her parents' home in April 2011.

David Parker, 38, from West Kilbride, Paul Smith, 47, from Largs, Philip Wade, 42, from Glengarnock, all North Ayrshire, and Colin Coats, 42, from Glasgow, are on trial accused of abducting, torturing and murdering her. They deny all the charges against them.

Financial adviser Tony Kelly, 46, told the court how he received a message from Ms Spence's mother on April 15, stating: "Hi Tony, have you heard from Lynda today?"

Mr Kelly, who said he was not immediately concerned by the message, told how he received a subsequent message in which Mrs Spence said: "Hi Tony, have you heard anything from Lynda? I'm getting worried now. I haven't heard anything. The last I heard was last night."

Mr Kelly said he texted Ms Spence's phone and urged her to contact her mother. "Her mother was obviously getting worried," he told the court.

Jurors heard how he later received messages back from Ms Spence's phone, saying: "I'm in contact with her x" and "ok love x". Asked whether he had been concerned about the spelling of the text message, he replied: "She normally spelt love 'luv'."

Mr Kelly described how, over April 17 and 18 that year, he received other messages in which Mrs Spence was getting "more concerned".

The witness also told the court about a man named John Glen, who he said was owed money by Lynda.

He said: "Her mother and father were getting very concerned about the lack of contact from Lynda and the fact that John Glen was being aggressive, threatening. I think he turned up at the door looking for Lynda."