Man in court charged with murdering woman, 97, in Fife

A Fife man has appeared at the High Court in Glasgow, charged with murdering a 97-year-old woman in her own home.

Sandeep Patel, 37, from Cardenden, stands accused of killing pensioner Annie Temple at an address in West End, Kinglassie, on October 25 by repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma on her head and body, obstructing and constricting her airways and asyphyxiating her, all by means unknown to the Crown.

Patel is also accused of fraud and stealing sums of money from Ms Temple.

One charge alleges he stole sum of money totalling £1,000 or thereby from Ms Temple on two occasions between April 1 2019 and April 30 2019, both dates inclusive.

Patel made a brief appearance before Lady Johnston at Glasgow High Court, where his legal representative Brian McConnachie QC tendered not guilty pleas in respect of the murder and theft charges.

The case will now go forward to a trial in Edinburgh in September.

Ms Temple was found dead at her home in the village’s West End by police officers on October 25.

Report: Craig Smith/The Courier