Man's body 'may have lain at luxury home for months'

Published on Tuesday 11 December 2007 01:25

A WEALTHY businessman found dead at his luxury home may have lain undiscovered for almost two months, it emerged yesterday.

Michael Holding's badly decomposed body was discovered by police last Friday in a shed at the house he shared with his son and daughter-in-law in Aberdeenshire.

Grampian Police launched a murder investigation after the discovery at the home in Inchmarlo, which is believed to be worth about 500,000.

It is the second time tragedy has struck the family in just over a year.

Mr Holding's wife, Linda, died in October last year of breast cancer. She was aged in her late forties.

His son, Benjamin, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court charged yesterday with Mr Holding's murder on 13 October this year and stealing a sum of money.

Holding, 28, of Brachen Lee, East Main, Inchmarlo, appeared in private. Holding, who married his wife Sarah two years ago, is an executive at Scottish Television. He works as a business development executive at STV's offices in Aberdeen.

Holding is also charged with having stolen a sum of money between 13 October and 6 December.

He was remanded in custody yesterday.