Court Hears Murder Accused Had ‘Focused Plan’ for Attacks

Testimony in court revealed that an individual facing charges for the murder of his brother-in-law and the attempted murder of three additional people possessed “a focused plan” to target those he held responsible for his problems. According to a clinical psychologist, Finlay MacDonald, who was believed to have an undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder, had reached a decision that he would no longer be a victim. Dr. Harry Wood stated that Mr. MacDonald’s actions aligned with those of a person primarily concerned with himself and his personal agenda, exhibiting an atypical absence of empathy. Mr. MacDonald, aged 41, refutes all accusations brought against him in connection with alleged knife and firearm assaults that occurred on and near Skye on August 10, 2022. He has submitted a specific defense concerning the accusation of murdering John MacKinnon, asserting that he was experiencing an abnormality of mind. Donald Findlay KC, the defense counsel, informed the psychologist that Mr. MacDonald proceeded to the residence of his brother-in-law, John MacKinnon, equipped with one of his firearms and “really enough ammunition to start a small war,” and subsequently shot him. The psychologist informed the High Court in Edinburgh that, during the period of the alleged murder, Mr. MacDonald was impacted by autism and post-traumatic stress disorder, alongside underlying conditions of depression, anxiety, and a personality disorder. Mr. MacDonald has denied the charge of murdering Mr. MacKinnon, a distillery worker, on August 10, 2022, by means of shooting him at his family residence in Teangue, Skye. Furthermore, he has denied the attempted murder of his wife, Rowena, 34, at their shared family home in Tarskavaig, Skye, on the identical date, through repeated stabbing. He additionally denies attempting to murder retired osteopath John MacKenzie and his wife Fay, both 65 years old, on the same day at their residence in the village of Dornie, Wester Ross, by firing a shotgun in their direction. Advocate depute Liam Ewing KC informed the jury that Mr. MacDonald possessed “a long standing problem controlling his anger” and harbored a profound resentment towards two individuals. The prosecution contended that Mr. MacDonald’s conduct and the preparatory actions taken prior to the assault on Mr. MacKinnon indicated that a verdict of murder, rather than the lesser charge of culpable homicide, was the appropriate outcome for the jury. He further stated that for a verdict of culpable homicide to be rendered, the jury would need to be convinced that MacDonald’s capacity to regulate and decide his actions was “significantly impaired.” The legal proceedings are ongoing. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.