Accused 'first heard of man's murder on the news'

A former head gamekeeper claimed the first time he heard that a man he is accused of killing had been murdered was on the news, a trial has heard.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow was told that David Campbell gave a witness statement during the police investigation into the death of Brian Low.

Campbell, who worked with Low on the Edradynate Estate in Aberfeldy, is accused of killing the 65-year-old on a footpath in Leafy Lane, Aberfeldy, on 16 February 2024.

Campbell, 77, denies murdering Low by shooting him and has lodged a special defence of alibi.

Jurors also heard Campbell's police interview after he was arrested for the death.

Among his comments were that Low could have been the victim of "an accidental" killing by someone.

The trial initially heard the witness statement that Campbell gave to police on 28 February, 2024.

He told officers that he "rarely" worked with Low on Edradynate and that there was never any argument between them.

Campbell later added: "There was no bad blood between myself and other workers on the estate when I left."

Regarding the death, Campbell said his wife Betty, 77, had told him that Low had collapsed.

She had then relayed to him that the man had died after she was told by someone in a local shop.

Campbell told officers: "She did not give me any other details such as how he had died.

"The next details I heard about Brian's death was the next night that I saw on the news that he had been murdered."

He added that he had not seen Low since he had left Edradynate and had no contact with him.

Campbell later became a suspect in the murder investigation and was interviewed by detectives at Dundee police headquarters in late May 2024.

It was there he initially commented: "They are just trying to save face."

It was thought this was a reference to it first being believed Low had suffered "a non-accidental death" after his body was found.

In the police interview, Campbell was asked did he "shoot" Low.

He answered: "I certainly did not."

In reply to the question, did he "kill" the man, Campbell replied: "You know fine well, I did not."

Campbell made a number of comments during the interview, including stating that the police were "desperate".

At one stage he claimed what happened could have been an "accidental" killing.

Det Con David Budd was one of the officers involved in the interview.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell put to the officer: "David Campbell said that it could be an accidental shooting, but, to be clear, he is not saying he accidentally shot Brian Low or was there?"

Budd replied: "Correct."

One of the detectives also accused Campbell of "rolling his eyes" while being questioned.

Campbell was further said to have remarked: "Who is this guy Brian Low? Is he a King's son...?"

The detective was asked in court what he thought Campbell meant by that comment.

He replied: "I took it to be that he was suggesting that Brian Low had some preferential treatment from the police and that we had spent too much on him."

Farrell asked the detective: "Essentially suggesting that a lot of money or resources are spent on a guy who is 'a King's son'?"

Budd replied: "Yes."

Campbell, from Aberfeldy, is accused of murdering Low, having previously shown ill-will and malice toward him.

He is alleged to have disabled CCTV cameras at an address in Aberfeldy on the same day, in an attempt to conceal his whereabouts.

He is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the alleged murder weapon and an airgun, and having replacement tyres fitted on an electric bike between February and May 2024.

Campbell is further accused of possessing an air rifle without a licence and discharging it on various occasions, and faces five charges of breach of the peace dating back to July 1995.

He is alleged to have acted in a disorderly manner putting three men and two women in a "state of fear and alarm".

Campbell's legal team has lodged a special defence of alibi in connection with the murder accusation.

They say Campbell was not in Leafy Lane, where the body was found, at the time of the killing and was instead at home in Aberfeldy.

Campbell denies all the charges.

The trial before Lord Scott continues.