Grieving family in triple tragedy
Cousins die after cliff fall vigil
‘Brandishing two knives’ ‘Julie was lying on the ground’
A MAN appeared in court yesterday accused of murdering two cousins at a family vigil.
Robert Stratton, 42, was accused of stabbing David Sorrie, 32, and Julie McCash, 43, at a gathering in Dundee.
They had been taking part in a vigil for 18-year-old Ralph Smith, who has been missing since he fell from cliffs in Arbroath, Angus, on Saturday afternoon.
Stratton faced a further charge of attempted murder and another of assaulting his partner Lee Kinney.
It is understood the cousins were found dead outside an address in Drumlanrig Drive at around 6.30am on Sunday.
Stratton, of Dundee, was detained that day and charged with the two murders later that night.
Yesterday he appeared in private on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court facing a total of four charges.
They allege that on various occasions on Sunday he assaulted his partner Lee Kinney.
Stratton is alleged to have murdered Miss McCash by striking her on the body with a knife.
He is alleged to have attempted to murder Wendy McKinney by running towards her while brandishing two knives and attempting to strike her on the body with them.
He is alleged to have murdered Mr Sorrie by running towards him while brandishing the knives and attempting to strike him with them on the body before he pursued him and struck him on the body, killing him.
Stratton made no plea during the brief hearing and Sheriff Lorna Drummond, QC, continued the case for further examination and remanded him in custody.
The alleged incident happened during a hastily arranged vigil of around 20 of the missing teenager’s friends and family after the search for him was paused over dead. night when darkness descended on Saturday. The teenager, who is autistic, fell at around 1pm that day after becoming scared and disorientated while on a cliff walk with his father.
RNLI lifeboats, rescue teams and a Coastguard helicopter were scrambled in an attempt to find him, but the searches had to be called off as darkness fell.
Mr Smith’s grandfather Dennis Duffy, 68, hosted the Saturday night gathering before it moved on to another home situated on the street where the cousins were allegedly killed.
Mr Duffy said: ‘I heard the commotion, looked outside, then went outside.
‘Julie was lying on the ground already dead and David was half It seemed ages for the ambulance to come.’
Police were called and a major investigation team cordoned off the area and erected evidence tents over the spot in the road where the cousins died.
It was only yards from the home of Mr Sorrie’s partner 34-year-old Lynsey Berry – who is the mother of his two children aged nine and ten.
When efforts to find Mr Smith resumed yesterday, RNLI boats were not launched as hope dwindled. The teenager is now feared dead.
Instead, Police Scotland took over the hunt – coordinating search teams and a helicopter unit – but the operation was once again called off as darkness fell last night. Chief Inspector David McIntosh said yesterday: ‘We have carried out extensive multi-agency searches of the coastline for Ralph over the weekend and these will continue today.
‘On Saturday, Ralph was wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans and blue and red trainers.
‘He is described as being five feet, ten inches tall to six feet tall, with short, light brown hair and blue eyes.
‘We know Arbroath Cliffs continues to be a popular area for walking and while we ask the public to report any information that could assist us with our search for Ralph, please be mindful of your own safety.’