Murder trial: Police officer tells of '˜carnage' at scene

Alan Stewart (52) told a jury on Thursday of the scene he encountered when he found the remains of Alex Forbes in Adrian Hynd’s home in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on January 2 2017.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the Police Scotland sergeant, who has 29 and a half years service, describe what he saw as the “worst” scene he had encountered in his entire career.

The officer told the court that he found Mr Forbes (25) in the living room of the house with an ornately handled sword planted deep into his chest.

The court had earlier heard that the weapon which was allegedly used in the attack had a “vampire skull” handle. It also had an 18 inch long blade.

Sergeant Stewart told the court that the walls, floors, and radiators of the property were covered in blood stains.

He said that Mr Hynd, the 51-year-old man accused of murdering Mr Forbes, was “absolutely covered” in blood and it was “dripping from him.”

When asked by prosecution lawyer Alan Cameron to describe what he had seen, Sergeant Stewart replied: “It’s probably what I would describe as a scene of utter carnage. There was a male person lying on the floor with a very large knife with a very ornate handle which was very deep into his chest.

“The room was heavily bloodstained. There was blood on the radiators. There was blood on the floors. There was blood on the walls.

“It was probably the worst scene I’ve encountered in all my police career.”

Sergeant Stewart was giving evidence on the fourth day of proceedings against Adrian Hynd, of Kirkcaldy.

Prosecutors claim Mr Hynd murdered Mr Forbes at his house on Victoria Road.

The court has heard the pair had met the previous evening in the Windsor Bar pub in Kirkcaldy and had gone back to Mr Hynd’s house for “a party” with two other men.

Mr Hynd denies the charge and claims he acted in self defence after Mr Forbes attacked him.

On Thursday, Sergeant Stewart said he went to Mr Hynd’s home in the early morning of January 2.

He had been on patrol when a female motorist had flagged him down and said she had seen a man in the street covered in blood.

The police officer later learned that a 999 call had been made in which a man told operators that he had “murdered somebody in self defence”.

Upon getting to Mr Hynd’s property, Sergeant Stewart told the court that colleagues were with the householder, Mr Hynd.

The police officer told the court that he decided to enter Mr Hynd’s property by himself to see if there was a dead body.

He said he communicated with colleagues via radio as he made his way through the flat.

Sergeant Stewart said he could see large amounts of blood in Mr Hynd’s home.

He then discovered the body of Mr Forbes and he saw a weapon in his body.

He told Mr Cameron: “The knife was embedded firmly in the chest.”

The policeman told the court that he then called for assistance who arrived quickly.

The court heard that Mr Forbes was pronounced dead shortly after Sergeant Stewart’s discovery.

He also told the court that other officers were standing with Mr Hynd outside the flat. He said Mr Hynd was placed in an ambulance.

He added: “There was still blood dripping from him. He was absolutely covered in blood from the head, to the torso, to the arms.”

Jurors also saw a video taped interviews of Mr Hynd which were conducted by the police later on January 2.

In the recordings, Mr Hynd told police officers that he had assaulted Mr Forbes.

He added: “I ended his life.”

In the interview, Mr Hynd tells police officers that he, Mr Forbes and two other men returned to the house after spending an evening drinking at the Windsor Bar pub.

Mr Hynd told officers that he became involved in a tussle with Mr Forbes. He said that Mr Forbes had appeared annoyed and had grabbed a “vampire skull” handled sword with an 18 inch long blade which had been placed on a stand in the living room of the property.

The court heard that during the tussle, Mr Forbes pulled out Mr Hynd’s glass eye.

However, Mr Hynd said that he managed to grab the sword and that during the struggle Mr Forbes sustained the injury to his chest.

At the end of the interview, jurors saw officers change Mr Hynd’s legal status. He was told he was no longer being detained in connection with the death of Mr Forbes.

Jurors heard Mr Hynd being charged with murder.

The Crown then showed a second short recording.

In the second interview, a police officer read the charge to Mr Hynd.

Jurors heard the police officer say: “Do you want to make any reply?”

Mr Hynd said: “Self defence. I had no other option.”

Prosecutors claim that on January 2, 2017 at 80 Victoria Road, Mr Hynd assaulted Mr Forbes, of Cakemuir Gardens, Edinburgh.

It is alleged that Mr Hynd struggled with Mr Forbes, seized hold of his neck, repeatedly punched him on the head and body before butting him on the head.

The Crown alleges that Mr Hynd then repeatedly struck him on the head and body with a knife and that he “did murder him.”

Mr Hynd has pleaded not guilty. His legal team has lodged a special defence which states that their client acted in self defence having been first attacked by Mr Forbes.

The trial, before judge Lord Ericht, continues.