Sheriff deems case against retiree is not proven
A retired doctor who brandished a knife and threatened to kill his former lover has walked free from court.
Dr William Gilchrist, 62, was said have picked up a blade and threatened his ex- girlfriend Elizabeth Gilchrist, 51, during a boozy bust- up at their Renfrewshire home.
However, the domestic abuse charge against the former consultant in geriatric medicine was found not proven yesterday following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.
Dr Gilchrist was arrested by cops probing the incident following complaints made by Miss Gilchrist, a former nurse who worked with the accused at Gartnavel Hospital.
He was previously in relationship with Miss Gilchrist, but now acts as her carer, and he was said to have made the threats and pointed the knife at her during a drunken row on March 5.
The trial heard Miss Gilchrist, who suffers from health problems, tell the court: “He was verbally abusive calling me a ‘lazy, fat cow.’ He called me a ‘f***ing leech.’
“Willie went and picked up a knife from the window sill.
“He flicked it open and came towards me and said he was going to kill me.
“I thought he was going to harm me, but I didn’t think he was going to kill me.”
However the complainer admitted under oath that: “I can’t remember anything about the actual event. What I have is my interpretation of it.”
The trial also heard from witness PC Steven Gray, 33, who was called out to the house at Patrickbank Gardens, in Elderslie, when the domestic complaint came in at around 6pm on the Sunday evening.
He said: “Doctor Gilchrist was upstairs in an office sitting on the floor. One of his legs was underneath him. He looked uncomfortable. He was intoxicated. The smell of alcohol was coming off his breath.
“There were empty bottles of alcohol in his room. I spoke to him and told him I was there because there had been a domestic incident in the property.
“During the conversation he admitted he had had an argument, he was in possession of a knife, and he had held it towards Elizabeth Gilchrist.”
Another witness, PC Gavin Hewitt, 22, also told the trial Dr Gilchrist said to him: “She came at me. I don’t deny using the knife, but I would never hurt anybody. I admit picking up the knife and pointing it at her.”
Dr Gilchrist declined to give evidence during the proceedings and consistently denied allegations that he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm, and that he did shout, swear, brandish a knife, and make threatening remarks.
Defence agent David Nicolson urged the court to find his client not proven because Miss Gilchrist testified she had little or no recollection of the incident and the Crown’s case required to be proven beyond all reasonable doubt.
Sheriff Linda Smith concurred with the lawyer, telling the accused: “Your solicitor set out the requirement for the Crown to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I have to accept I have been left with some doubts in relation to what occurred in the house at that particular time.
“I find the charge against you not proven.”
I have to accept I have been left with some doubts in relation to what occurred in the house at that particular time Sheriff Linda Smith