A woman accused of murdering a mother-of-three and chopping her into pieces "offered to stab" the victim on the day she died, a court has heard.

Michelle Higgins, 29, and Steven Jackson, 40, are accused of murdering Kimberley MacKenzie, 37, and dismembering her body.

On Thursday, the High Court in Glasgow heard Higgins had asked a friend if she wanted Ms MacKenzie "done".

Philip Keilloh was giving evidence in court, talking about a conversation he had with Higgins in Market Street, Montrose, on the day Ms MacKenzie died.

Mr Keilloh's partner, Penny Verrall, was angry because Ms MacKenzie had had sex with her teenage son.

QC Donald Findlay, representing Jackson, asked Mr Keilloh: "Did Michelle Higgins say 'I can't believe the slut would do something like that'?"

He replied: "That could be accurate."

Mr Findlay said: "You said she then said: Do you want her done?"

Mr Keilloh replied: "Yes she did."

Mr Findlay added: "Michelle Higgins is offering to stab her?"

Mr Keilloh replied: "Yes."

QC Mark Stewart, representing Higgins, then asked Mr Keilloh: "It was never suggested that she would hit Kim on the head with a hammer, was it?"

He replied: "No."

Mr Keilloh told the court he had been taking drugs intermittently since he was 15 and had been taking so-called legal highs last year.

It was put to him by Mr Stewart that the conversation he described had never happened.

He said: "I don't think I would make things up."

The jury heard it was was not until November 26, 2015, that Mr Keilloh told police about the alleged conversation with Higgins.

He made no mention of it in his previous statements.

The court heard that Higgins had only known Mr Keilloh and his partner Ms Verrall for eight weeks.

Mr Stewart said that Higgins has no history of violence. Her only previous convictions were a breach of the peace in 2014 for which she was admonished and a theft in 2006 for which she was fined £50.

The QC said: "Do you not think it is really incredible someone would suggest taking a life because she had sex with a 19-year-old boy," and Mr Keilloh replied: "I found it strange."

Jackson and Higgins deny murdering Ms MacKenzie by repeatedly striking her on the head, neck and body with a hammer or similar instrument at 40a Market Street, Montrose, on October 27, last year.

They are also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by dismembering her body using a saw, knives and a screwdriver and wrapping parts of her body in bin liners and bags and hiding them in bins at 40 Market Street, Patons Lane, Chapel Street and 73 William Phillips Drive, all Montrose.

The pair are also alleged to have disposed of clothing and footwear worn by Kimberley and washing their own clothing. This is alleged to have been committed between October 27 and November 4, 2015..

Higgins is also accused of having a knife in her possession in High Street, Montrose, on October 27, 2015.

Jackson is charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and Diazepam and having a machete in his possession at the Fair O'Blair public house and 42 Balmoral Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire on November 3 and 4.

Both deny the charges against them.

The trial before judge Lady Rae continues.