Double murderer Bill MacDowell will appeal against his conviction, it has emerged.
The 81-year-old was found guilty of the murdering Renee and Andrew MacRae at the High Court in Inverness last week.
It drew a line under one of Scotland’s longest-running cases.
Lord Armstrong handed MacDowell a life sentence for the murders, with a minimum term of 30 years.
But his lawyer, Murray Macara, has confirmed to the Press and Journal that he intends to appeal.
Police continue pursuit to find remains
He said: “I do still act [for him].
“We have intimated a notice of intention to appeal.”
Following MacDowell’s conviction, the police officer leading the investigation said he hoped to open up a dialogue with him.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes believes his team’s job is only half-done.
He is determined to find the remains of Renee and Andrew.
DCI Geddes said last week: “You have got to be optimistic. You have to hope he is somehow going to be willing to engage with me or someone and reveal the whereabouts of Renee and Andrew.
“There is no point in being pessimistic about it, we have to keep going.
“Now that we’ve reached this stage, our next step is to attempt re-engagement with him and see if he is willing to speak.”
Will police still press MacDowell for answers?
Renee’s sister, Morag Govans, also appealed for MacDowell to reveal what he knows.
Standing outside the High Court, she said: “Not knowing where their remains lie only compounds the pain.
“If William MacDowell has a shred of decency in his body, he will now reveal where they both lie.”
After saying nothing for nearly 46 years, it seems like an uphill task.
But officers will press him, hoping that he’ll help police find the remaining missing pieces of the mystery.
What happens next?
A senior judge will now decide whether or not to grant permission for MacDowell’s appeal to proceed.
They will consider whether there are “arguable grounds” for an appeal to proceed.
This process, known as the sift process, is based on legal matters and the case’s evidence.
If permission is refused at the first sift, an appeal can be made against the refusal to a second sift.
If permission is granted, a hearing is fixed to determine the points of law to be considered in the appeal.
More on the Renee MacRae case:
- Guilty: Pensioner murdered secret lover Renee MacRae and their toddler son Andrew, jury decides
- Agitated, dizzy and ‘probably’ telling the truth: The point the Renee and Andrew MacRae murder trial turned
- Long read: Four decades on, the many twists and turns of the Renee and Andrew MacRae case
- The moment of justice: Cries of relief from Renee MacRae’s family while her killer sits emotionless in the dock
- Renee and Andrew MacRae trial: The 15 images that led to Bill MacDowell’s conviction
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