����ý

A 40-year-old man is to stand trial charged with murdering his former partner then putting her body in a bag.

Craig Walker is accused of killing Lauren Wilson at a flat in Renfrew, Renfrewshire, on 26 May 2021.

It is claimed he repeatedly struck and stabbed the 34-year-old with a knife on the head and body, then put her body in a large sports bag.

During the hearing at the High Court in Glasgow, his lawyer Thomas Ross pled not guilty on Mr Walker's behalf.

The murder charge further states Mr Walker compressed Ms Wilson's neck and inflicted blunt force injuries by means unknown.

He is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

This includes claims he wrapped the body in sheets and tape before placing it in the sports bag with the "intention of disposing of her body".

Walker is also said to have sent messages from Ms Wilson's phone pretending to be her from three addresses - the flat where the alleged murder occurred, the Normandy Hotel in Renfrew and a house in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

The indictment alleges he did all this to "avoid detection, arrest and prosecution".

Walker also faces an earlier allegation of having two knives on 20 May 2021.

Mr Ross QC described the case as "quite complicated" and agreed with prosecutor David Dickson that a trial could be fixed.

Lord Doherty set a trial due to begin in March 2023.