Man ‘kept on duty’ seen driving suspect around and doing errands

A man allegedly held in ‘servitude’ did ‘almost everything’ for the couple who allegedly murdered him, a court has heard.

A witness said Michael White, 61, was running errands for Michael Joyce, 33, and Antonia Gunn, 28, at their home in the Highland village of Kyle of Lochalsh.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard prosecution witness Alex Prentice KC tell how she lived next door to Mr Joyce and Ms Gunn.

She said she knew Mr. White — who prosecutors allege was held in “servitude” by the couple.

She gave evidence via video link from Inverness and told Mr Prentice about what she had seen about the interactions between Mr White and the two suspects.

She said: “He would drive for them. He went to the shops for them. It seemed like he would do almost anything for them.”

Ms Cullen gave evidence on the second day of proceedings against Mr Joyce and Ms Gunn.

They are standing trial on charges of murder and breaching human trafficking and exploitation laws in relation to the way they allegedly treated Mr White.

On Thursday the witness told Mr Prentice that she had known the deceased for some time before his death.

She said his appearance had changed in the time before he died.

She added: “I thought he had cancer. He seemed to lose a lot of weight quickly.”

Her husband also gave evidence in court and told Mr Prentice about the relationship Mr White appeared to have with the two suspects.

He added: “I thought he was a friend. He seemed to be driving their cars. He was there when they needed to be taken somewhere.

“He would do the shopping for them.”

During Thursday’s proceedings, jurors were also told that both the prosecution and defense agreed that an autopsy had been carried out on Mr White’s body after his death.

They agreed that the cause of death was “complications of blunt force trauma” to his “torso” and heart disease.

Mr Joyce and Ms Gunn are accused of attacking and killing Mr White on April 22 or 23 last year at an address in Kyle of Lochalsh.

It is alleged they repeatedly beat him and caused traumatic injuries to his head and body.

The pair are also accused of committing an offense under human trafficking and exploitation legislation by employing Mr White between May 1, 2021 and April 23 last year.

They allegedly instructed him to transfer money to their bank accounts, pay for groceries and take them to personal appointments.

They are also said to have ordered him to solicit money from friends and family on their behalf and to initiate legal proceedings over the sale of his property at the Old Bank Guest House, in Kyle of Lochalsh.

Joyce and Gunn are also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice on April 23 last year.

It is alleged they threw away Mr White’s pillows, towels and a T-shirt and deleted photos of him from a mobile phone in an attempt to remove evidence.

They also allegedly placed a marriage certificate and photographs of Mr White and his deceased wife around his body and called emergency services, pretending that they had found Mr White’s body and that he had committed suicide.

Joyce and Gunn have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

The trial before Judge Lady Poole continues.