Renee MacRae: Trial told of planned move to Shetland

A trial in Inverness has heard Renee MacRae had been planning to move from Inverness to Shetland

A woman who was murdered more than 45 years ago was preparing for a new life in the weeks leading up to her disappearance, a court has heard.

Renee MacRae, 36, and her son Andrew MacRae, three, disappeared in the Highlands on 12 November 1976.

Retired hairdresser Sheila Fraser, 80, said Mrs MacRae had told her she was moving to Shetland with Andrew's father, William MacDowell.

Mr MacDowell is on trial accused of Mrs MacRae and Andrew's murders.

The 80-year-old, from Penrith in Cumbria, denies the charges and his lawyers have lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.

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Ms Fraser, from Beauly, told the High Court in Inverness Mrs MacRae had appeared to visit her out of the blue about two weeks before she and Andrew disappeared.

Mrs Fraser said Mrs MacRae was excited about the move from Inverness to Shetland.

She said: "She didn't say when, but it was soon. She looked very well and very happy."

'Married man'

The court earlier heard that on the day of their disappearance, Mrs MacRae had told her estranged husband Gordon MacRae she would be travelling to Kilmarnock to see her sister, Morag Govans. But it was alleged she was in fact planning to meet Mr MacDowell for the weekend.

Mrs Govans, 84, told the court her sister was a devoted mother who adored her children, Andrew and her eldest son Gordon, who was not with her and Andrew at the time of the disappearance.

The retired nurse said she had known of no plans for her sister to visit her, and only later learned of the alleged meeting with Mr MacDowell from Mrs MacRae's best friend Valerie Steventon.

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Mrs Govans told prosecutor Alex Prentice KC: "She wouldn't have travelled without telling me. Valerie phoned me and told me that Renee was away with Andrew's father for the weekend."

She confirmed Ms Steventon had told her Mr MacDowell was Andrew's father, something she had not known beforehand.

Mrs Govans said: "She didn't tell me who Andrew's father was but that he was a married man with two children and would never leave his wife.

"I told her that I hoped it was finished and that no good would come of it."

The High Court in Inverness was told Mrs MacRae had been a devoted mother

Mrs Govans also told of her anguish during the days following her sister and nephew's disappearance.

She said: "Renee was a devoted mother and she would never have abandoned Gordon. I was very worried. I knew then that something dreadful had happened to Renee and Andrew."

Mrs Govans told the trial she had tried to get information from Mr MacDowell.

She said: "I phoned William MacDowell, his wife answered and said he did not want to speak to me.

"I wanted to ask him when he last saw her and if there was anything he could tell me.

"I also went to his house but he was not there. There was nobody in."

Special defences

Mr MacDowell has been accused of murdering Mrs MacRae and their son at a lay-by on the A9 at Dalmagarry, south of Inverness, or elsewhere on 12 November 1976.

He also faces a charge alleging he disposed of their bodies, personal effects and a pushchair, and of setting fire to a BMW car and disposing of a Volvo car's boot hatch.

Mr MacDowell denies the charges and his lawyers have lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.

The defence claims Gordon MacRae committed the offences together with persons unknown.

Part of Mr MacDowell's alibi is that he went to the Mercury Motor Inn in Inverness and was in the company of three men, including John Davenport, until about 19:15.

Mr Davenport told the court that Mr MacDowell had told the group present he was to meet his wife at 19:00 that evening, and made reference to this a couple of times.

The trial before Lord Armstrong continues.