Peebles farm house murder trial of Eliska Novotna begins

A woman has gone on trial accused of murdering her housemate by stabbing him to death at a farm in the Borders.

Eliska Novotna, 23, is alleged to have attacked Arunas Ramanauskas at a remote farm house near Peebles in October last year - six days after she moved in.

The High Court in Dundee heard the 39-year-old's sister describe him as a "very helpful and honest man".

Ms Novotna denies murdering him and has lodged a special defence of self-defence in the case.

Mr Ramanauskas's sister, Gitana Ramanauskaite, 38, told the court that her brother - known to friends as Russian Ronnie - had moved to Scotland from his native Lithuania about seven years ago.

She described him as her "number one" and said he was a "good man".

She said: "We grew up very close.

"He was married a long time ago and had a daughter who he was very close with as well.

"He was a very helpful and very honest man."

The trial also heard from Jacqueline Campbell, whose family owns the farm at Glenrath where Ms Novotna, a Czech national, and Mr Ramanauskas both worked.

She said: "Arunas had lived at Easter Happrew in the Old Farm House for around five years.

"His house was around 50 to 100 yards from mine.

"Eliska Novotna had been living there for six days on 7 October - she had previously been living in Penicuik."

Ms Campbell said that she had "no knowledge" of any relationship between Ms Novotna and Mr Ramanauskas.

She described how her husband "heard a commotion" in the early hours of the morning and then saw an ambulance and police.

"My understanding was that she was to be living there for only a short time before finding somewhere closer to work," she added.

Ms Novotna denies a charge of murdering Mr Ramanauskas on 7 or 8 October last year at the Old Farm House, Easter Happrew, Peebles, by repeatedly stabbing him on the body with a knife.

She further denies attempting to defeat the ends of justice by refusing to comply with a warrant instructing her to submit to medical examination at Borders General Hospital.

The trial, before Lady Clark of Calton, continues.