In August 1670, Margaret Coul became caught within the judicial machinery of the Forfar presbytery during a period of heightened scrutiny regarding witchcraft. Her case, documented under reference C/JO/3105, unfolded alongside those of other unnamed individuals, suggesting that Margaret was part of a wider series of local investigations—a common feature of the Scottish witch trials where accusations often rippled outward through a community. While the historical records indicate that others were being scrutinized simultaneously, the specific nature of the allegations brought against Margaret remains absent from the archival trail.
Unlike many who faced the rigors of a formal criminal court, Margaret did not undergo an official state trial, nor was a royal commission ever issued to oversee her prosecution. Instead, the ecclesiastical authorities took the lead; the local presbytery exercised its power to intervene in her life directly. Rather than facing the capital sentences often associated with these proceedings, Margaret was sentenced to banishment. This outcome effectively severed her ties to Forfar, mandating her removal from the community and concluding the presbytery’s involvement in her case.