The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Murderer of man, 67, has appeal bid thrown out
Victim was killed in his home
A man who carried out the “very brutal murder” of a friendly north-east mechanic in his own home has had his bid to appeal against his conviction and sentence thrown out.
Brian McKandie was found dead in his rural cottage near Rothienorman in Aberdeenshire on March 12 2016.
The 67-year-old pensioner was wellknown around the local community and beyond for his jovial sense of humour and skills as a repair man.
This March, 25-yearold Steven Sidebottom was jailed for a minimum of 21 years for killing and robbing Mr McKandie.
Soon after his sentencing, Sidebottom, who had no previous history of violent offending, lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.
His appeal has now been refused by appeal judges at a procedural stage – meaning a full court hearing will not take place.
An autopsy revealed he had been hit over the head with a blunt object at least 15 times, and a murder investigation was launched.
The search for Mr McKandie’s killer was one of the largest ever carried out in the history of Police Scotland, and Sidebottom was officially charged with the murder almost a year after the pensioner died.
Over the 18-day trial this year, it was established that Mr McKandie had £200,000 in cash squirrelled away in boxes throughout his cottage. Sidebottom was revealed to be one of his regular customers, and in the weeks leading up to Mr McKandie’s death, Sidebottom had been desperate for cash.
But in the days after the violent killing of Mr McKandie, Sidebottom was suddenly in possession of a great deal of cash, and lavished gifts on his girlfriend.
The jury at the High Court in Aberdeen returned a majority guilty verdict.
Sentencing Sidebottom, Lord Uist said: “The degree of violence used was severe and extreme.
“This was in any view, a very brutal murder.
“You have continued to deny your guilt since your conviction, and shown no remorse.”