Scotland's top prosecutor is to conduct the case against the man accused of murdering a woman whose body was found in a city park, the Crown Office said yesterday.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini will lead the prosecution in the Moira Jones murder trial. The body of Ms Jones, 40, was discovered by a ranger in Queens Park, Glasgow, on May 29 this year.

Marek Harcar, 32, from Slovakia, appeared in private at Glasgow Sheriff Court on July 17 charged with her murder. He was also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Mr Harcar was detained in Slovakia in June after a European Arrest Warrant was obtained by the Crown Office, and was extradited to Scotland in July.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.

Sales executive Ms Jones was originally from Staffordshire, but had been living in Glasgow for five years, where she worked for soft drinks firm Britvic.

Ms Angiolini was earlier this month subjected to an unprecedented attack on her constitutional position, with a number of Scotland's judges suggesting she should be stripped of most of her powers.

In a collective statement in a submission to the Calman Commission on the future of devolution, the judges argued that there is a fundamental problem with the Lord Advocate being both a member of the government and the independent head of the prosecution service.

They say the Lord Advocate's dual role has led to a "substantial number" of challenges from prisoners on human rights grounds, choking the court system and delaying trials.

The judges suggest stripping the Lord Advocate of her prosecution role, and creating a separate Director of Public Prosecutions instead, as in England and Wales.

They admit this would "rob the Lord Advocate of most of her functions", and leave her a mere legal adviser to the government.

The Lord Advocate has been the most senior public prosecutor in Scotland since 1587, and Ms Angiolini is the first female to hold the post.

She was appointed in 2006. She was also unusual for having no political affiliation in a job that is traditionally an appointment of the governing party.

While in the Crown Office, she worked to improve the support offered to young or otherwise vulnerable victims and witnesses.

As Lord Advocate she is seen as a moderniser, immediately announcing plans to speed-up justice and clear court congestion, including a scheme to quickly fine minor offenders and force them to pay compensation to victims.