Murderer Finlay MacDonald to appeal conviction for Skye shooting spree

The court later heard that he had “enough ammunition to start a small war”.

He then went to his sister Lyn Anne MacKinnon’s home in nearby Teangue, where she was outside unpacking a car after a family trip.

MacDonald went into the house where he shot her husband John in the kitchen, walked out past his sister and back to his car, saying nothing.

Mrs MacKinnon ran into her home and found her husband standing at the kitchen sink. The 47-year-old distillery worker collapsed into her arms and died despite the efforts of emergency services.

MacDonald then headed for Dornie to the home of John MacKenzie – a retired osteopath who MacDonald blamed for making a back injury worse.

Police responding to the 999 call about the attack on Rowena MacDonald spotted his Subaru and followed him to the village, near Eilean Donan Castle in Wester Ross.

Officers were advised not to stop MacDonald and were told that armed officers were also responding to the incident.

When he arrived, he shot 65-year-old Fay MacKenzie through a window of the house. He then shot Mr MacKenzie in the back while trying to protect his wife.

The couple then tackled MacDonald just as police arrived. One officer struck him with a baton while his colleague used a Taser.

The court heard that at the time of the attacks, Mr MacDonald was affected by autism and post traumatic stress disorder with depression, anxiety and a personality disorder in the background.

He told a consultant forensic psychiatrist that he had difficulties dealing with people and situations and he saw himself as a victim.