Woman fled country due to threats following trial

Angela Newlands had been cleared of murdering Annalise Johnstone

A mother cleared of the killing of her lover’s sister was forced to flee Scotland because of threats.

Angela Newlands spent Thursday night behind bars after being arrested in the Forfar area for failing to carry out unpaid work, following her return to the country.

Newlands claimed she had been forced to leave her Perthshire home, and the country, due to the reaction after she was cleared of the murder of Annalise Johnstone.

The mother-of-four appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday to admit breaching a social work order imposed in September.

The court was told yesterday about Newlands’ disappearance, around a month after it emerged that police had reopened their investigation into the murder case with a new search.

Solicitor John McLaughlin told Sheriff William Wood: “You will be aware of the background of the trial she underwent.

“After she was placed on this order, a number of problems arose. There were a number of threats to her and her sister.

“Her reaction to that was to escape, but that has added to the problem.

“She has had great difficulty finding accommodation, and has been moving from place to place.

“She did not put the priority on engaging with social work services the way she should have, but she is now back in Scotland. She was trying to find accommodation in Forfar when she was arrested.”

Sheriff Wood granted bail and deferred sentence but ordered

Newlands to sign in with police in Dundee twice a week. She is to move in with her mother in Inchture.

He said: “Things have been fairly chaotic, so I will allow you bail, but you will have to report twice weekly to police.”

Newlands was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work in the community in September when she admitted trying to hide her identity by giving police a false ID.

She was also banned from driving for 11 months and placed under social work supervision for nine months after she admitted a series of offences.

Newlands tried to pin the blame on her own sister when she was caught driving the wrong way on a one-way street while she was already banned.

Newlands pretended to be her sister Danielle and told officers they were often mistaken for each other.

But the officer recognised Newlands, 29, and was aware that she and her boyfriend Jordan Johnstone had been charged with the murder of Annalise.

Angela Newlands was arrested for failing to carry out unpaid work.