Inverness trial date set for William MacDowell, accused of murdering mother and son Renee and Andrew MacRae
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An 80-year-old man has been judged fit to stand trial for the murder of Inverness woman Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew 45 years ago.
William MacDowell will be tried by a jury for the alleged crimes at the High Court in Inverness next September.
He is accused of killing Mrs MacRae who has been missing since 1976 and is presumed to have been murdered.
The trial will hear evidence from beyond the grave in the form of police statements given by witnesses who have since died.
There had been concerns about the accused’s fitness to stand trial after he injured his neck falling off a wall at his home in Penrith, Cumbria.
Defence solicitor Murray Macara QC told the High Court at Livingston yesterday that his client was still wearing a neck brace.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC said the age of the case presented "significant challenges" but stressed that the Crown was nevertheless ready for trial.
MacDowell is accused of assaulting Andrew and his mother Christina ‘Renee’ MacRae at a lay-by on the A9 trunk road near Dalmagarry, or elsewhere, on November 12, 1976.
He is charged with causing them injury by unknown means, as a result of which they died.
He is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two bodies and their personal effects.
He is further alleged to have disposed of a pushchair, set fire to a BMW car and disposed of a boot hatch from a Volvo to conceal the alleged crimes and avoid detection, arrest and prosecution.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Judge Lord Armstrong agreed to hold a continued preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow on April 27 next year and fixed the trial for September 12 at Inverness High Court.
