Scottish OAP is fit to face trial for mum and son 'murders' 45 years ago

An 80-year-old man accused of murdering a mother and her young son 45 years ago has been judged fit to stand trial.

William MacDowell is accused of killing Christina ‘Renée’ MacRae, who has been missing since 1976 and is presumed to have been murdered.

Ms MacRae's disappearance – along with that of her three-year-old son, Andrew – is currently the United Kingdom's longest-running missing persons case.

A jury at the High Court in Inverness is expected to hear evidence from beyond the grave in the form of police statements given by witnesses who have since died.

Renee and Andrew MacRae were allegedly murdered in November 1976.

MacDowell injured his neck falling off a wall in a “bizarre accident” at his home in Penrith, Cumbria, recently.

Defence QC Murray Macara told the High Court at Livingston the he was still wearing a neck brace and was consulting with his GP.

But he accepted that a trial date should be set while preparation of the defence case and attempts to trace “a number of potential witnesses” continued.

He added: “We have already made applications in the case of witnesses who have died in the last 45 years.”

Renee MacRae was 36 when she was last seen (Pic: Police Scotland)

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC, who is leading the prosecution for the Crown, said the age of the case presented “significant challenges” but stressed that he was ready for trial.

MacDowell is accused of assaulting Andrew and Mrs 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, and thereby murdering them.

He is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two bodies and their personal effects by means unknown to prosecutors.

MacDowell is further alleged to have disposed of a pushchair, set fire to a BMW vehicle and disposed of a boot hatch from a Volvo vehicle 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 in Glasgow next April fixed the trial for September 2022 in Inverness.

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