A MEMBER of the Traveller community has been acquitted of murdering his sister by repeatedly slashing her throat after a jury found the charge not proven.

Jordan Johnstone, 25, had denied killing 22-year-old Annalise Johnstone  last May at the notorious Maggie Wall’s Memorial, at Dunning, Perthshire, said to have been erected in memory of the last witch to be burned alive in Scotland.

He was also cleared by judicial direction of attempting to defeat the ends of justice after the killing on May 10 last year but convicted of assaulting another sister Shabbana in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire a few days before Annalise died.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice said in view of the time Johnstone had spent in custody on remand he did not move for sentence on the assault charge.

Judge Lady Scott told Johnstone he would be released from custody.