Orkney man Erlend Fraser stabbed nephew to death

Erlend Fraser admitted a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow

A man knifed his nephew to death leaving him with 20 stab wounds, a court has heard.

Erlend Fraser, 50, carried out the attack in his home at St Margaret's Hope in Orkney on 19 June last year.

A judge heard how the killing had devastated 21-year-old William Fraser's parents and sisters.

His uncle faced a murder charge but a guilty plea was accepted to the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how William had been talented at computing and had been accepted to study at St Andrew's University.

He ended up deciding not to go and later started as an IT technician with the local council, but lost the job due to the Covid pandemic.

He had been with friends before ending up at his uncle's door on the night of the killing.

Prosecutor Alan Mackay said Erlend Fraser had later texted his father telling him he had stabbed William and asking him to come to his home.

Learning disability

However, it was his sister and her partner who arrived and, after noticing blood on two sofas and the floor, they found William dead in the toilet.

The court heard he had suffered 20 stab wounds on the front of his neck, chest, back and left arm.

Fraser later told doctors that William had turned up at his home and he had let him in fearing he might disturb his neighbours.

He claimed his nephew had been "aggressive", had allegedly been violent and that was why he reacted.

The hearing was told Fraser had a mental disorder since birth, described as a "form of learning disability".

This led to him suffering from an abnormality of the mind at the time.

Lord Matthews imposed an interim compulsion order for Fraser to remain at the State Hospital at Carstairs for treatment.

The case will call again in October.