Second man facing murder charge

A second man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Dundee man John Donnachy.

Lee Winters, 36, appeared in private and on petition at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday afternoon before Sheriff William Wood.

It is alleged Winters murdered Dundee father John Donnachy at some point in the evening between March 2 and 3 at an address on Hazel Court in Alyth.

A Blairgowrie man, Murray Fotheringham, has already appeared in court and is also due to stand trial accused of Mr Donnachy’s murder.

It is alleged Winters, while acting with another, assaulted John Donnachy and repeatedly punched him on the head and body. In addition to this, Winters is accused of striking Mr Donnachy on the head and body with an unknown implement.

It is further alleged Winters struck Mr Donnachy on the body repeatedly with a knife or similar instrument, murdered him. Winters made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody.

Murray Fotheringham, 35, is also accused of killing Mr Donnachy.

It is alleged Fotheringham punched and stabbed Mr Donnachy to death at an address on Hazel Court, Alyth. He was committed for further examination and remanded in custody in March this year.

Mr Donnachy, who was a father to four children, was found dead at an address in Hazel Court on the morning of February 3.

Pathologists listed cause of death as the result of “multiple stab wounds and blunt force”, as well as noting he had suffered a head injury.

Forensic investigators and police cordoned off the Hazel Court address for days following the incident.

Mr Donnachy, who was only 26, lived on Kinghorne Walk in Dundee and was employed as a ground worker and was known as a keen Celtic supporter.

In the aftermath of his death, family and friends paid tribute to his character. His family described him as “one in a billion” and friends posted on social media he would be sadly missed.

Picture: Kim Cessford. Police on Hazel Road, Alyth in March.