A Dublin man accused of the murdering his mother and burying her in a shallow grave at an Edinburgh beauty spot in Scotland told a workmate he had done "something bad", his trial has heard.

Evidence was given at the High Court in Edinburgh today that James Dunleavy told a workmate he was going away and that he had done something he was not proud of.

Matthew Hagan (26) told the Edinburgh Court that while working with James Duleavy as a labourer on the tram project in the city, he said he had done something bad, something he was ashamed of but would not reveal what it was.

Mr. Hagan, from Glasgow, gave details of the conversation to detectives after Dunleavy's arrest.

Under cross-examination he said Dunleavy was someone who would "talk a lot of nonsense" and agreed it was not unusual for him to say things which did not make sense.

Dunleavy - who is also known as Seamus - denies the murder of his mother Philomena (66) between April 30th and May 7th last year. He also denies trying to cover up the alleged murder and destroy evidence.

A second charge accuses Dunleavy of pretending Philomena was unwell and had returned to her home in Marino in Dublin.

The charge further alleges that Dunleavy put his mother's severed torso into a suitcase and buried her at Corstorphine Hill in Edinburgh.

Prosecutors also claim that Dunleavy vacuumed and washed his flat to remove blood stains and torched a bed and mattress.

The trial which began last week is expected to last a month.

Pictured above: Philomena Dunleavy