Douglas Fleming cleared over drug dealer Martin Toner's death
A former policeman has walked free from court after being cleared of murdering drug dealer Martin Toner more than a decade ago.
The charge against Douglas Fleming was found to be not proven after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
It was alleged that Mr Fleming had stabbed Mr Toner 12 times on the body and then cut his throat at Gleddoch Estate in Renfrewshire on 29 June 2004.
He has always denied any involvement in Mr Toner's death.
Mr Fleming, who was staying at the coach house at Gleddoch Estate at the time, was also alleged to have dumped Mr Toner's body in a field in Langbank between 29 June and 13 July 2004.
Suspicion fell on Mr Fleming, who served as a constable with Central Scotland Police from 1985 to 1988, when he admitted to police he gave Mr Toner a lift to Langbank the day he went missing.
Mr Fleming, who was at the time company director of Paisley-based Delta Construction, said he had met Mr Toner in the Fit for Life Gym in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow at about 14:30 on 29 June.
He said that he had gone to the gym about 14:00 to speak to one of the directors John - known as Ian - McDonald to discuss possible renovations.
Mr McDonald was also accused of the murder of Mr Toner but walked free half way through the trial after the Crown withdrew the charge against him.
Mr Fleming said he offered Mr Toner a lift to Langbank in his Mercedes G Wagon because he had lost the keys to his silver Saab.
He insisted that he dropped Mr Toner near the railway station and that was the last he saw of him.
Leisure manager Ross Agnew, 38, whose sister is in a relationship with Mr Fleming, alleged that he saw him with a shirt "saturated in blood" on the day Mr Toner was murdered.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that he only made the allegation 10 years after Mr Toner's death when police questioned him in Spain.
In evidence Mr Fleming described Mr Agnew as a liar and a fantasist and denied being a murderer.
He said: "I had no reason to kill him (Toner) - I had nothing to do with it whatsoever."
Mr Fleming branded Ross Agnew a "feckless wastrel" who would "put the blame on anyone".
Mr Toner had been due to go on trial at the High Court in Glasgow for drug offences when he disappeared.
He and Mr Fleming had been involved in property development in Bearsden.
His body was found dumped in a field by a farmer 14 days after he went missing.