Closing speeches heard in Aberfeldy murder trial

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a former colleague on a remote path in Highland Perthshire have heard closing speeches in the case.

David Campbell, 77, is accused of shooting Brian Low, 65, at Leafy Lane, near the Pitilie Track, Aberfeldy, on 16 February 2024.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell suggested that Campbell had carried out a "brazen and brutal execution" but Tony Lenehan KC, defending, said Campbell's attitude and actions on the day of the shooting were "not those of a murderer."

Campbell denies murdering Low and has lodged a special defence of alibi.

Seven other charges, including attempting to defeat the ends of justice and breaches of the peace dating back to 1995, were dropped by prosecutors on Friday.

Jurors previously heard how the men had previously worked on the Edradynate Estate in Aberfeldy, where Low had been a groundsman.

Farrell told the jury in his closing speech: "This was a cowardly ambush motivated by nothing more than sheer malice, this was no accident.

"David Campbell was an expert shot and hunted down Brian Low like he was quarry."

He said Campbell disabled his home CCTV, put duct tape over a doorbell camera before leaving the property hooded, armed and on his wife Betty's e-bike.

The prosecutor said: "Brian Low was out walking his black Labrador Millie, going about his life enjoying his partial retirement.

"The shotgun blast killed him within minutes, if not seconds.

"Brian Low had no chance - unarmed and unaware.

"This was a brazen and brutal execution in a rural spot - a cowardly ambush motivated by nothing more than sheer malice."

Farrell said while there was no direct eyewitness to the killing, there were 20 different pieces of "circumstantial" evidence that "may mean little on their own, but taken together can be compelling".

The prosecutor insisted what happened to Low was "no accident" and that he had been targeted by someone who was "an expert shot".

Campbell had denied in his evidence that he was the hooded individual caught on camera on a bike on the day of the shooting.

Farrell said Campbell had stated he could not be the cyclist as he never wore a hood or a hat.

He then remarked that Campbell had "worked outdoors for a living" and that the claims would be "comical if it were not such a serious matter".

The advocate depute added that Campbell knew the local area "like the back of his hand" to help dispose of items such as a firearm and a gun bag.

Tony Lenehan KC, defending, said he was "not sure you will find (Campbell) particularly likeable" either in his police interview or in court.

He added Campbell may not have been a "police fan", but that he "held firm in his denial" about being involved, both with detectives and during his evidence.

Mr Lenehan questioned different parts of the prosecution case in what he described as "an emotional and intellectually demanding sea of evidence"

This included the apparent time of the shooting and "no evidence from any source" that Campbell had the type of jacket that the cyclist recorded on the day of the murder was wearing.

He said in the lead up to the killing, Campbell was doing "fairly mundane" tasks such as a checking on his football team online and making a phone call to the council about planning permission for a garage door.

Mr Lenehan asked the jury: "How do you transition from that, right up to 4pm and within the hour, shooting a man dead over a grievance years old? Does it make sense?"

Judge Lord Scott will give his legal directions on Monday before jurors are expected to consider their verdict.