Man accused of murdering wife was ‘insane’

A man accused of murdering his wife at her Dundee home was insane at the time of the alleged offence, a court heard today.

Neil Cumming, 46, is charged with repeatedly striking Barbara Jane Cumming on the body with a knife or similar instrument and murdering her at the property in Mary Findlay Drive in the Longforgan area of the city on July 15 this year.

He is also accused of driving dangerously at speeds of up to 101mph and hitting a lorry that same day.

The crash left both him and another man injured.

Cumming, who is detained in the state hospital at Carstairs, appeared in court in public for the first time at Edinburgh High Court today.

His lawyer John Hamilton QC lodged a notice that his client was not fit to instruct his defence, and a plea in bar of trial on the grounds of insanity at the time of the alleged offence.

The alleged dangerous driving offence took place on the A90 Perth to Dundee road around half-a-mile west of its junction with Riverside Avenue, Dundee.

Cumming is charged with driving across white lines dividing the carriageway, causing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

Lord Tyre deferred the case until February 2 next year for medical reports to be obtained.