Murder accused said 'total darkness' came over him

A man accused of murdering his brother-in-law in Skye and attempting to murder three others told police "total darkness" had come over him.

In a recording of a police interview played to the High Court in Edinburgh, Finlay MacDonald said he felt betrayed after reading phone messages between his wife and her boss.

He said it led to a "black sequence of events".

Mr MacDonald denies attempting to murder his wife and two other people. He has lodged a special defence to the allegation of murdering John MacKinnon, claiming he was suffering from abnormality of mind.

Earlier in the trial, Rowena MacDonald said the messages on her phone may have been seen as flirty, but added that she was not looking to have a relationship.

On Thursday, the court heard Mr MacDonald told police his wife started fighting with him and it got out of hand.

He said they were wrestling over the phone.

Mr MacDonald said he picked up a knife and stabbed her in what he called a “moment of madness” and it was all a haze.

The court heard he then left the family home in Tarskavaig, Skye, in his car armed with a shotgun and a knife.

He said he knew he had made a terrible mistake and did not know how to fix it. He thought his life was over.

Mr MacDonald said he started thinking about who had brought him to this point.

He said he thought of John MacKenzie, an osteopath he blamed for injuring him.

Also, his brother-in-law Mr MacKinnon who he accused of bullying and attacking him.

Mr MacDonald went to Mr MacKinnon's home in Tenague, Skye, the court heard.

In the recording, he said: "I went to his house and just confronted him and said he had always bullied me and been horrible to me.

"He looked at me really aggressively and started coming towards me. Without even thinking the gun went off."

When asked did he pull the trigger Mr MacDonald responded "I must have."

The court heard he then to the home of John and Fay MacKenzie in Dornie, Wester Ross.

He said: "I just wanted to basically know what he had done to me."

Mr MacDonald told police he had not gone with the intention of harming people.

He said he fired two shots through a window before going into the house to confront Mr MacKenzie.

Asked what he thought about police shouts to drop his weapon he replied: "I’d lost my mind and anything sensible had gone out of my head."

He said the gun went off during a struggle.

Asked why it went off: "I pulled the trigger, I think. I felt like I was defending myself."

A detective asked him: "You were enraged with him so you shot him?"

Mr MacDonald said he had not meant to.

Later in the interview he said: "If I could turn back the clock and not do any of it, I would.

"I’m so sorry."

After Mr MacDonald was told he was being arrested for the murder of Mr MacKinnon he said: "I lost my mind. I wasn't the person I normally am."

He said: "I have never done anything violent ever in my life."

Mr MacDonald said he just went over a cliff edge and "kept on falling".

The trial continues.