Agony aunt murder accused made calls 'near her home'

Mrs Jamil's worked as an agony aunt for Asian radio station Awaz FM

A phone expert has told a murder trial that analysis of the accused's mobile phone put him at, or near to, the home of his alleged victim the day she died.

Martin Griffiths, of LGC Forensics, told the High Court in Glasgow that he analysed calls made from Khalid Sarwar's phone on 9 December 2009.

Mr Sarwar is accused of murdering 54-year-old Awaz FM agony aunt Nasim Jamil at her Byres Road flat in Glasgow.

The 29-year-old denies the charges against him.

Mr Griffiths told prosecutor Dorothy Bain QC that he studied the calls made to and from Mr Sarwar's phone from 1400 GMT on the day Mrs Jamil was murdered.

He was asked if a call made at 1430 GMT was consistent with Mr Sarwar being located at or in the vicinity of Mrs Jamil's flat and replied: "Yes."

Mrs Jamil was last seen alive, shopping in Byres Road, less than an hour before the call was made.

Her battered body was found in the kitchen of her home by her daughter Nazia when she returned from work that evening.

The court was told that another call, made at 1921 GMT could, according to Mr Griffiths, have been made in the vicinity of Hunter Street in the city.

Repeatedly striking

Mrs Jamil's mobile phone and bank cards, along with a handbag and purse and other items were found there after a police search.

Mr Griffiths also said in his report that the call could have been made from Sarwar's home in Circus Place, Glasgow.

Mrs Jamil's body was found at her flat in Byres Road

Under cross-examination by defence QC Donald Findlay, Mr Griffiths was asked: "As far as the call at 7.21pm is concerned, the data is consistent with it being made at or near Circus Place?" and he replied: "That's correct."

He added that the call could also have been made from the vicinity of Hunter Street.

Mr Griffiths was then asked what being in the vicinity meant in that context.

Mr Findlay asked: "Is it 100 yards, 200 yards, 400 yards?" and he replied: "The only way you can tell is by going out there and measuring."

Mr Sarwar is accused of murdering Mrs Jamil by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a hammer and screwdriver or similar instrument and hitting her on the head with a bottle and a piece of glass on 9 December 2009.

He is also charged with stealing three knives, a quantity of clothing, a light bulb, two phone, keys, gloves, a watch, a bracelet, a necklace, a pair of earrings, a handbag and a sum of money.

Mr Sarwar is further accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice on 11 December 2009, by giving false information to police officers.

The trial before Lord Brodie continues.