Finlay MacDonald: Skye shooting-accused ‘not impaired’ by mental disorders, psychologist tells court

A man accused of murdering his brother-in-law and attempting to kill three other people was not significantly impaired in his ability to control his actions by mental disorders, a psychologist has told a court.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard one expert considered that at the time of the alleged murder Finlay MacDonald, 41, had undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder, personality disorder and was experiencing low mood and anxiety.

Advocate depute Liam Ewing KC asked forensic psychologist Lorraine Johnstone if the disorders, conditions and traits suffered by MacDonald as a whole on 10 August 2022 were taken into account would it have significantly impaired his ability to control his actions.

She replied: “No, I don’t think they did.”

She added: “I think, on the whole, the autism is relevant but not to the level and degree that it can account for his behaviour.”

Ms Johnstone claimed MacDonald said he knew he had behaved wrong when he attacked his wife and could not see a future for himself.

The court heard he armed himself with additional weapons and then set off motivated by a desire to confront others with whom he felt aggrieved.

MacDonald is on trial accused of murdering his brother-in-law John MacKinnon, 47, and the attempted murder of three other people including his wife on 10 August 2022.

Read more from the court case:
Wife of accused tells court about knife attack
Defendant claimed osteopath ruined his life, court told
Woman ‘feared she and husband were going to be killed’
Murder accused felt ‘humiliated’ by brother-in-law

It is alleged he repeatedly discharged a shotgun at Mr MacKinnon and murdered him in the village of Teangue on the Isle of Skye.

He is accused of firing a shotgun at married couple Fay and John MacKenzie and attempting to murder them in the village of Dornie, Wester Ross.

He is also accused of attempting to murder his wife, Rowena MacDonald, 34, by repeatedly stabbing her in the village of Tarskavaig, on Skye’s Sleat peninsula.

MacDonald denies all the charges and has lodged a special defence against the murder charge, claiming his “ability to determine or control his conduct was substantially impaired by reason of abnormality of mind”.

The trial before judge Lady Drummond continues.