Murder accused 'first heard of victim's death on the news', court hears

A former head gamekeeper claimed the first time he heard a man he allegedly killed had been murdered was on the news.

David Campbell gave a witness statement during the probe into the death of Brian Low.

The 77-year-old also said there was “no bad blood” between him and any of his former colleagues at the Edradynate Estate in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross, where both men had worked.

Jurors further heard Campbell’s police interview after he was arrested for the death.

Among his comments was that Mr Low could have been the victim of “an accidental” killing by someone.

Campbell is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He is accused of murdering ex-groundsman Mr Low, 65, at the Leafy Lane near to the Pitilie Track close to Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross on February 16, 2024.

Campbell denies the allegation and has lodged a special defence of alibi.

The trial initially heard today/yesterday of the witness statement the pensioner gave to police on February 28, 2024.

He told officers that he “rarely” worked together with Mr Low on Edradynate and that that was never any argument between them.

Campbell later added: “There was no bad blood between myself and other workers on the estate when I left.”

Regarding the death, Campbell said his wife had told him that Mr Low had collapsed.

She had then relayed to him that the man had died after being told by someone in a local shop.

Campbell said: “She did not give me any other details, such as how he had died.

“The next details I heard about Brian’s death were the next night when I saw on the news that he had been murdered.”

He added that he had not seen Mr Low since Campbell had left Edradynate and had no contact with him.

Campbell later ended up a suspect in the murder and was interviewed by detectives at Dundee police headquarters in late May 2024.

It was there that he initially commented: “They are just trying to save face.”

It was thought this was a reference to it first being believed Mr Low had suffered “a non-accidental death” after his body was found.

Jurors were shown the interview.

Among the many things put to Campbell, he was asked if he “shot” Mr Low.

He answered: “I certainly did not.”

In reply to the question if he did “kill” the man, Campbell replied: “You know fine well, I did not.”

Campbell said a number of things during the interview, including stating the police were “desperate”.

At one stage, he claimed what happened could have been an “accidental” killing.

DC David Budd was one of the officers involved in the interview.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell put to the officer: “David Campbell said that it could be an accidental shooting, but, to be clear, he is not saying he accidentally shot Brian Low or was there?”

DC Budd: “Correct.”

One of the detectives also accused Campbell of “rolling his eyes” while being probed.

Campbell was further said to have remarked: “Who is this guy Brian Low? Is he a King’s son…?”

DC Bud was asked in court what he thought Campbell meant by that comment.

DC Budd: “I took it to be that he was suggesting that Brian Low had some preferential treatment from the police and that we had spent too much on him.”

Prosecutor Greg Farrell put to the detective: “Essentially suggesting that a lot of money or resources are spent on a guy who is ‘a King’s son’?”

Dc Budd: “Yes.”

The trial, before Lord Scott, continues next week.