A man accused of murdering his brother-in-law claimed that an attack on him by the alleged victim nine years earlier was the beginning of all his problems. Finlay MacDonald said he was humiliated and left with low self-esteem after John MacKinnon assaulted him in 2013, and his father had to intervene to stop him from being battered. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that MacDonald told a psychiatrist that the incident in 2013 triggered a change in his mind. Dr. Suraj Shenoy stated that MacDonald mentioned, “The beginning of all my problems was John MacKinnon attacking me in 2013.” The psychiatrist further revealed that MacDonald had tried to avoid all contact with his brother-in-law since the assault.
During the alleged murder on August 10, 2022, MacDonald was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression with anxiety, paranoid, and dependent personality disorder. It was reported that MacDonald denied murdering John MacKinnon by firing a shotgun at him at his home on the Isle of Skye. Additionally, he denied attempting to murder his wife, Rowena, by repeatedly stabbing her with a knife. MacDonald also denied attempting to murder John MacKenzie and his wife, Fay, by discharging a shotgun at them at their home in Dornie, Ross-shire. The defence counsel mentioned that the trigger for MacDonald’s actions seemed to be his wife’s perceived betrayal, leading to a substantial impairment of his ability to determine and control his conduct due to abnormality of mind.
The trial continues before Judge Lady Drummond in the High Court in Edinburgh as more evidence regarding the case is being presented.
In this deeply troubling case unfolding in the High Court in Edinburgh, the intricacies of the human mind and the complexities of personal relationships are intricately intertwined. The tragic events that unfolded on that fateful day in 2022 have left a lasting impact on all involved. As the trial progresses, more insights into the psychological state of the accused and the events leading up to the alleged murders will undoubtedly come to light, shedding further light on the complexities of the human psyche and the consequences of past traumas.