A new true crime documentary will be broadcast this evening on the murder of Rothienorman mechanic Brian McKandie, but what will it focus on? And what will it reveal?
Handyman Mr McKandie was found dead in his cottage in Badenscorth, just outside of Rothienorman, in March 2016.
His death was not initially treated with suspicion, but after it was established he had been brutally killed and it was not an accident, one of the largest investigations in the history of Police Scotland was launched.
The lengthy investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest of Steven Sidebottom, a local man who knew Mr McKandie.
He was found guilty of murdering the popular mechanic in early 2019, and was sentenced in March that year to a minimum of 21 years in jail.
We’ve had a sneak preview of tonight’s (August 13) documentary, which will air on Sky Crime at 9pm under the title Opportunity of Riches in the series How I Caught The Killer.
Here’s five key areas this evening’s documentary will focus on…
1. Why Brian McKandie’s death wasn’t a murder investigation from the start
When Brian McKandie’s body was first found inside his cottage, his death was not initially treated as suspicious.
He was discovered dead on March 12, 2016, but it was not until a full post-mortem was carried out on March 17 that it was discovered the mild-mannered handyman had suffered 15 brutal injuries to the head.
It was only at this point a murder investigation was launched.
Tonight’s Brian McKandie documentary features interviews with retired Detective Inspector Gary Winter, who previously called this the “hardest case” of his career, as well as criminologist Dr Jen Hough.
Both Mr Winter and Dr Hough, as well as the documentary’s producers, shine a light on this crucial incorrect assessment and delve into exactly what police DID think happened to Brian at this crucial initial point.
2. The impact on the community and his family
Tonight’s Brian McKandie documentary also features interviews with Mr McKandie’s niece, Moira Keegan.
Moira reveals what it was like for the family when they discovered their beloved Brian had died.
She also brings stories and family photographs of Brian to the documentary, showing the real human cost of the horrific crime.
Elsewhere, the documentary will discuss how the killing impacted the wider community of Rothienorman and beyond.
3. How police narrowed down their list of suspects
The Police Scotland investigation into Brian McKandie’s death was truly enormous.
It involved questioning almost 5,000 people, the taking of 700 DNA samples, and stopping more than 750 motorists.
Tonight’s documentary will reveal the full extent of precisely how police narrowed down their list of potential killers, and the key moments that led to them focusing in on Steven Sidebottom as their number one suspect.
4. How police built the case against Steven Sidebottom
Through extensive interviews with Det Insp Gary Winter, the documentary shows how the police pieced together all the evidence against Steven Sidebottom to charge him with the murder.
Once they had him in their sights, police expended a huge effort putting together all the pieces of the jigsaw required to take the case to court.
It was not until after months and months of efforts that Sidebottom was arrested and charged in February 2017, and tonight’s programme shows all the varied steps the police had to take to build the case against him.
The documentary also features interviews with Jo Millington, a forensic scientist who specialises in crime scene examination and blood pattern analysis.
5. What it was like during the trial
The programme also details the trial of Steven Sidebottom at the High Court in Aberdeen.
It goes over key moments in the proceedings and the evidence presented which ultimately led to a jury coming to the verdict of guilty.
It also reveals what the media, police, and Mr McKandie’s family thought about the trial, both before and after, and what they thought the outcome would be.
When does the Brian McKandie documentary air, and where can I watch it?
The documentary will be called Opportunity of Riches, and it will be one episode of season four of the Woodcut Media series How I Caught The Killer .
The Brian McKandie episode will be broadcast at 9pm on Tuesday, August 13.
This series of How I Caught the Killer is 10 episodes long, and started on July 30.
Read more on the murder of Brian McKandie:
- From 2019: Our article on the life sentence for 25-year-old killer of Aberdeenshire pensioner Brian McKandie, including a timeline of events
- From 2019: The full story Brian McKandie and the investigation of his death, including what police said after the sentencing of Sidebottom
- Our interview last year with Gary Winter, the Detective Inspector who helped bring Mr McKandie’s killer to justice, on this case and other high-profile murders he’s tackled over his career
