A retired police inspector has told a murder trial he was taken to a dirt road and handed a bag of wet clothes and a box containing knives.

David Aitchison was giving evidence at the trial of Ronnie Coulter, 48, from Wishaw, who denies murdering Surjit Singh Chhokar by stabbing him in Garrion Street, Overtown, North Lanarkshire on November 4, 1998.

Mr Aitchison told prosecutor Alex Prentice QC that on November 9, 1998 he was given information by a man called John Joseph Buchanan, who was known as Jo-jo.

He said after meeting in Aitkenhead Road at 7pm he, a colleague and Mr Buchanan drove down a single track road to a dirt road.

Mr Aitchison said Mr Buchanan told them to stop.

He said: "Mr Buchanan jumped out and disappeared into the undergrowth and returned with a black bin bag.

"He was away for a couple of minutes. I was upset ideally I would have preferred to have the bin bag photographed in situ."

Mr Aitchison told the jurors there was a hole in the black bag and he could see there were wet clothes and a box of knives inside.

The court heard the black bin bag was put in the boot of the police car and taken to a police station.

Mr Aitchison said he later discovered that one of the knives - the smallest - was missing from the box.

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked if the box was a production in court and discovered it was not. The jury has been shown a photograph of a similar box.

He then asked Mr Aitchison: "Do you know where the box is?" He replied: "I have no idea why it is not here."

Another retired police officer, Stuart Murdoch, told the court Ronnie Coulter went along to Wishaw police office on November 9, 1998.

Mr Murdoch was asked if Coulter had any injuries and replied: "Yes. A small cut to his left hand near the bottom of the pinkie, a small cut to his left middle finger and a small cut to his right ring finger."

Prosecutor Mr Prentice asked: "Was Ronnie Coulter cautioned and charged that day with murder?"

Mr Murdoch replied: Yes."

Ronnie Coulter has lodged a special defence to the murder charge blaming his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery.

Both men in evidence denied having anything to do with the killing of Mr Chhokar. Ronnie Coulter denies all the charges against him.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.