Missing woman 'secured fake bonds'

Jan 25 2013

A printer who allegedly created fake bearer bonds worth £6.8 million for a missing businesswoman thought they were to be used for a prank, a murder trial has heard.

Amash Syed, 50, said Lynda Spence initially asked for the bonds to be made out for small sums but then asked him to "add on more zeros".

Mr Syed was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow where four men are accused of abducting and murdering Ms Spence, 27, who vanished in April 2011.

It is alleged the men tortured her in a bid to extract financial information.

The trial has heard previously from a former employee of Ms Spence that she was part of a business deal which involved Danish government bonds.

Accused Colin Coats, 42, is alleged to have had a stake in the deal, the jury has been told.

Asked about some work he had been asked to do for Ms Spence, Mr Syed said: "It was some type of bond. She just wanted (it) as a prank, initially for a small amount and then she asked when it was being prepared to just add on more zeros, and she was laughing."

The witness added: "I thought she just wanted to play a prank on someone or something."

Mr Syed said he was promised £500 for the work but Ms Spence "never gave me a single penny".

Coats, David Parker, 38, Philip Wade, 42, and Paul Smith, 47, all deny murdering Ms Spence, who it is alleged was held hostage and tortured before her alleged murder.