The man accused of murdering a waiter made a racist slur as he admitted the stabbing to his then sister-in-law, a court has heard.

Noreen McPolland , 54, was giving evidence at the trial of Ronnie Coulter, 48, from Wishaw, who denies murdering Surjit Singh Chhokar in Garrion Street, Overtown, North Lanarkshire, by stabbing him on November 4, 1998

Ms McPolland, who was married to Coulter's brother Andrew for 15 years, told the High Court in Glasgow that the alleged confession was made when she visited Coulter in Barlinnie prison while on remand awaiting trial.

She was asked by prosecutor Alex Prentice QC: "Did Ronnie Coulter ever say anything about the death of Surjit Singh Chhokar," and replied: "He said 'I stabbed him. I stabbed the P*** bastard."

Ms McPolland told the jury that she had been visiting Coulter in prison along with his sister Margaret Chisholm when he made the remarks.

She added: "Margaret told him to own up to what he had done and he told us he had stabbed Mr Chhokar."

Mr Prentice asked: "What was your reaction," and she replied: "I got up and went to the canteen and I bought some stuff. I didn't want involved in it."

The prosecutor then asked if Coulter had said anything else and Ms McPolland said he had when he visited his brother just days after the death of Chhokar.

Mr Prentice said: "Did he make any reference to the death of Chhokar," and she responded saying: "My husband asked him if if he had stabbed Mr Chhokar. He said he had stabbed Mr Chhokar.

"He said Mr Chhokar was shouting after he had stabbed him. He was shouting 'Liz, Liz they've stabbed me'."

The jury has heard that Ronnie Coulter, his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery went to see Chhokar on November 4, 1998, in a row over a £100 Giro cheque.

After an altercation, 32-year-old Chhokar collapsed dying in the street in front of his partner Liz Bryce.

In evidence given earlier in the trial Andrew Coulter admitted hitting Chhokar on the arm with a home-made lead-filled bat, but denied stabbing him. Montgomery also denies stabbing him.

Pathologist Dr Marjorie Turner revealed that Chhokar was stabbed in the chest three times and died from massive blood loss. The fatal blow went right though his heart.

Dr Turner said that a second stab wound penetrated the bowel and was "also potentially life-threatening.

The third wound went into the sac round the heart, but did not injure the heart or any major structures in the body.

When asked if the injuries were caused by one or more than one attacker Dr Turner said: "I would favour a single assailant."

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 Chhokar.

Ronnie Coulter denies all the charges against him. The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.