Skye murder accused 'saw himself as a victim', trial hears

A man accused of murdering his brother-in-law and trying to murder three others saw himself as a victim, a court heard.

A consultant forensic psychiatrist said he prepared a report on Finlay MacDonald who was autistic and found that on balance he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and a depressive disorder.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that toward the end of a consultation with MacDonald, Dr Alastair Morris, 48, asked him if there was anything else he should know.

He said MacDonald produced a large sheaf of paper and told him he was not well and had a physical and nervous breakdown in the previous week. He earlier told him he had struggled with people and situations all his life.

He said MacDonald, 41, “viewed himself as the victim in all this”.

The psychiatrist was asked about an extract from a report produced by a psychologist in which she said that in relation to the alleged offences MacDonald’s autism was not at a level or degree that would prevent him defining right from wrong or from controlling his behaviour.

John MacKinnon was killed in the attack on Skye. Police Scotland

Dr Morris said: “I would not disagree with it as a broad statement. I would agree his ASD (autism spectrum disorder) is towards the milder end of the spectrum.”

Dr Morris is one of four psychologists and psychiatrists expected to be called to give evidence at the trial of MacDonald as expert witnesses.

MacDonald is accused of attempting to murder his wife Rowena, 34, on August 10, 2022 at the family home at Tarskavaig, on Skye, by repeatedly stabbing her.

The marine engineer is also accused of murdering his distillery worker brother-in-law John MacKinnon on the same day at his home on Teangue, Isle of Skye, by firing a shotgun at him.

He is further alleged to have attempted to murder retired osteopath John MacKenzie and his wife Fay, both 65, at their home on the mainland Highland village of Dornie on the same day by discharging a shotgun at them.

MacDonald has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has lodged a special defence to the murder charge maintaining at the time of the alleged offence his ability to determine or control his conduct was substantially impaired by abnormality of mind.

The trial before judge Lady Drummond continues.