Man in court accused of murdering his 84-year-old grandmother

A man has appeared in court this afternoon accused of murdering his grandmother at a house in Forres.

Scott McCulloch, 25, is charged with the murder of 84-year-old Patricia Bitters following an incident in the town’s Oystercatcher Close, on Sunday August 28.

The pensioner was taken to Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries after police were alerted to reports of an assault at a house on the street.

It is understood she had moved into the home less than three weeks before the incident took place.

McCulloch, from Forres, had previously appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on August 30, facing a single charge of assault to severe injury, danger of life and attempted murder.

However, he has now reappeared in private at the same court accused of murder after Ms Bitters subsequently died in hospital on Saturday September 3.

McCulloch made no plea, was fully committed and remanded in custody.

Following the incident, a police spokeswoman said: “Around 10pm on Sunday, August 28, police were called to the Oystercatcher Close area of Forres, following the report of an 84-year-old woman being assaulted.”

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