Man accused of murdering wife unfit to stand trial

A man accused of murdering his wife who disappeared in 1984 has been deemed unfit to stand trial.

William Hodge, 79, is alleged to have killed Marion Hodge, then 34, in Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway.

Court papers state Mr Hodge caused her an injury by “means unknown to the prosecutor”.

The High Court in Glasgow was told he had signs of dementia and judge Lord Mulholland said it was “crystal clear” he was unfit to stand trial.

Mrs Hodge, a mother-of-two, was declared legally dead by the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 1992. Her body has never been found.

A court hearing was told that Prof Gary MacPherson carried out a cognitive test on Mr Hodge at a care home in Bristol in July 2024.

The consultant forensic clinical psychologist told the court: “He demonstrates a number of deficits in attention and he is unable to follow what is happening around him.

“He has deficits in memory and he wasn’t able to remember things after a short time.

“He also has deficits in verbal fluency – expressing two or three words after a long pause.”

In terms of a trial, Prof MacPherson stated that Mr Hodge would “struggle” to instruct a lawyer and understand the trial process.

However, the professor did say that Mr Hodge was able to understand the penalties that could be imposed.

There was an investigation into Mrs Hodge’s death in 1984 and a reinvestigation in 2006 when there was no further action taken.

The matter was then looked at again in 2021 which has resulted in the current prosecution.

Mr Hodge faces a separate charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of his wife’s body and personal effects.

Lord Mulholland fixed an examination of facts which is expected to last four weeks at the High Court in Glasgow in September.

He added: “It is crystal clear that he is unfit – in all the circumstances, I uphold the unfitness to plead motion.”