The High Court in Edinburgh heard that one expert considered that at the time of the alleged murder Finlay MacDonald had undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder, personality disorder and was experiencing low mood and anxiety.
Advocate depute Liam Ewing KC asked forensic psychologist Lorraine Johnstone if the disorders, conditions and traits suffered by MacDonald as a whole on August 10, 2022 were taken into account would it have significantly impaired his ability to control his actions. She replied: "No, I don’t think they did."
She told the court: "I think, on the whole, the autism is relevant, but not to the level and degree that it can account for his behaviour."
She said MacDonald said he knew he had done wrong when he attacked his wife and could not see a future for himself. He armed himself with additional weapons and then set off motivated by a desire to confront others with whom he felt aggrieved.
MacDonald’s wife Rowena MacDonald was found to have sustained nine stab wounds after she was flown to a Glasgow hospital from the Isle of Skye.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard she suffered injuries to her chest and liver that were a danger to her life, and that after Mrs MacDonald was taken by air ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth hospital she remained in hospital until September 12, with chest drains inserted during treatment.
Jurors were told in agreed evidence that MacDonald’s brother-in-law, John MacKinnon, suffered three shotgun wounds to his chest, abdomen and thigh. The cause of death was given as shotgun wound to the chest.
Retired osteopath John MacKenzie was flown by air ambulance from Dornie, in Ross-shire, to Raigmore hospital, in Inverness. He was in a critical condition and underwent emergency surgery. It was found that part of one of his kidneys was blown away. He later underwent two further operations.
His wife Fay sustained multiple small wounds from shotgun pellets among other injuries.