A murder trial witness has accused a defence lawyer of being a liar.

David Montgomery, 39, from Motherwell, has given several different versions of what happened the night restaurant worker Surjit Singh Chhokar died in 1998.

He accused Donald Findlay QC of being a liar while giving evidence for a third day at the High Court in Glasgow in the trial of Ronnie Coulter.

Coulter, 48, from Wishaw, denies murdering Mr Chhokar in Garrion Street, Overtown, North Lanarkshire, on November 4, 1998 by stabbing him.

He has lodged a special defence blaming his nephew Andrew Coulter and David Montgomery.

Mr Mongomery was taken through his versions of events which were given to the police and in court by Mr Findlay, who said: "You are, if not an accomplished liar, a persistent liar."

The witness responded by saying to Mr Findlay: "You are a liar."

Mr Montgomery was then asked to repeat what he had said and trial judge Lord Matthews asked: "Why are you accusing counsel of lying?"

The witness then said: "Because he is making things up."

Lord Matthews told Mr Montgomery "counsel is not making things up" and ordered him to apologise to Mr Findlay.

The witness then said: "I'm sorry, I'll apologise."

Mr Montgomery has told the jury that when he and Ronnie Coulter and Andrew Coulter approached Mr Chhokar that night in a row over a £100 Giro cheque, Ronnie Coulter said: "Andrew - just hit him."

The jurors heard Mr Montgomery did not say that in his first statement to police given three days after Mr Chhokar's death, nor at his own trial for murder.

At his trial in 2000, he claimed the only words spoken were by Andrew Coulter who asked Mr Chhokar who has cashed the Giro.

The first time he mentioned the alleged comment was in a statement given to the police on December 18, 2014.

Mr Findlay said to Mr Montgomery: "You are lying when you said Ronnie said 'Just hit him,'" and he replied: "I'm not lying."

Mr Montgomery also told the jury earlier that he saw Ronnie Coulter appear to punch Mr Chhokar.

Mr Findlay said: "When you were asked about this you said: 'I think it was one hand, I honestly don't know?'

"You are trying to help Andrew Coulter by making out Ronnie was punching with one hand. You want people to think that was Ronnie stabbing him."

Mr Montgomery replied: "I'm trying to recall as best I can."

The witness was shown a transcript of his trial in which he said that he saw Ronnie Coulter punching with both hands.

Mr Findlay said: "People fighting use two hands and people stabbing use one hand." Mr Montgomery replied: "Yes."

The QC added: "In this trial you are trying to suggest it is more consistent with an attack than a fight."

Mr Montgomery said: "That's how I recall it."

Mr Findlay added: "The background is the family decided Andrew had done it but because he was only 17 Ronnie should take the blame for it."

Mr Montgomery replied: "I don't know where you've got that from."

The QC said: "When the ladies and gentlemen of the jury have to assess your evidence they may want to bear in mind when you are facing incontrovertible evidence, you are quite happy to lie to the bitter end." a

Mr Montgomery replied: "Yes."

The witness was asked why he made up a story just three days after Mr Chhokar's death, telling police he had been in Overtown that night to buy counterfeit cigarettes from a man called Kevin, instead of admitting he had been there when he died.

He said he was scared and added: "I just remember fear."

Ronnie Coulter denies all the charges against him.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.