‘Anguish’ as Skye shooting murder trial is postponed

Expert report hold-up forces six-month delay to High Court case

THE trial of a man accused of shooting dead his brother-in-law on Skye has been delayed for six months as the defence team is waiting on an expert report.

Finlay MacDonald was due to appear in the dock next month to face charges of murdering 47-year-old John MacKinnon, pictured, and attempting to kill three others.

But his trial has now been postponed until November after the hold-up over the expert evidence was raised at a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.

Prosecutor Lisa Gillespie KC told the court the delay was “a source of anguish” for Mr MacKinnon’s grieving family.

She added: “Matters are dragging on with no resolution. “It would be appropriate for the court to fix a timetable – this will place the experts in a position where they work to the court’s timetable.” Judge Lady Drummond set a timetable for the experts until the end of June when a further hearing will take place. A new seven-day trial date has been set for November at the High Court in Edinburgh.

MacDonald, 40, is alleged to have killed Mr MacKinnon at his home in August 2022.

He is also charged with the attempted murder of his own wife, Rowena MacDonald, 33, on the same day.

MacDonald is further accused of trying to kill chiropractor John Donald MacKenzie and his wife, Fay, in Dornie, Wester Ross.

MacDonald denies all the charges.

The trial of a man charged with shooting his brother-in-law dead on Skye has been postponed until near the end of the year.

Finlay MacDonald, who denies murdering 47-yearold John MacKinnon at his home in Teangue on August 10 2022, was due to be prosecuted in mid-May.

But a delayed expert report for his defence team means the case is “dragging on with no resolution,” prosecutor Lisa Gillespie KC told the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.

The preliminary hearing before judge Lady Drummond was also told of the “anguish” the issue was causing grieving relatives.

MacDonald, 40, is also charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Rowena MacDonald, 33, and two other people on the same day of the alleged ordeal.

Prosecutors claim MacDonald killed dad-ofsix Mr MacKinnon by repeatedly firing a shotgun and striking his alleged victim’s body.

MacDonald is accused of previously showing “malice and ill will” towards him.

He is earlier alleged to have tried to kill his wife at her home in Tarskavaig.

The indictment states he struggled with her and repeatedly stabbed her body with a knife.

The attempted murder charge claims this was to Mrs MacDonald’s severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of her life.

Prosecutors allege the offence was aggravated “by involving abuse of your partner or ex-partner”.

After the killing of Mr MacKinnon, it’s claimed that MacDonald tried to kill chiropractor John Donald MacKenzie and his wife, Fay, on the mainland.

The alleged attacks on the couple – both 63 at the time – happened after a 30mile drive to their home in Dornie in Wester Ross.

MacDonald is said to have discharged the deadly weapon at Mrs MacKenzie, hitting her head and body.

He is then accused of using the firearm on her husband, striking his body.

Similar to the charge involving his brother-inlaw, he is also said to have directed previous ill will towards Mr MacKenzie.

Finally, he faces an accusation of possessing a shotgun with intent to “endanger life”. The indictment alleges he attended and travelled between the different properties while armed with the firearm and ammunition.

MacDonald had pled not guilty to the charges back in July 2023 and a trial was due to take place next month, but has since been discharged.

MacDonald’s defence KC, Donald Findlay, yesterday told a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow that an expert report on his client was still to be carried out.

He said: “We were prepared for trial but an expert came up with a view that they are not qualified to deal with – they cannot do it and have pointed us in the direction of another.”

Lisa Gillespie KC told the court: “Mr Findlay has no option but to explore a matter that an expert has told him to explore.

“This is a source of anguish for the next of kin as matters are dragging on with no resolution.

“It would be appropriate for the court to fix a timetable – this will place the experts in a position where they work to the court’s timetable.”

Judge Lady Drummond set a timetable for the experts until the end of June when a further hearing will also take place.

A new seven-day trial date has also been set for November at the High Court in Edinburgh.

VICTIMS: From left: John MacKinnon died, and Rowena MacDonald, John Donald MacKenzie and Fay MacKenzie were injured in Skye and Wester Ross.