Wife of accused in murder trial appears at Inverness high court
Rosemary MacDowell has been married for 58 years
The wife of a man accused of murdering his three-year-old-son and the boy's mother asked police why she was being questioned, as she "never stabbed her or whatever happened to her", a court has heard.
However, Rosemary MacDowell, 80, insisted her remark was made on the "spur of the moment" and that there was "nothing meant by it".
The witness was giving evidence in the case against her husband, William MacDowell, 80, who is accused of murdering his son, three-year-old Andrew MacRae, and the child's 36-year-old mother, Renee MacRae back in November 1976.
Mrs MacDowell gave evidence at the High Court in Inverness for more than an hour, telling the jury that the couple and their two daughters kept horses at their home in Nairnside, near Inverness, and on the evening of November 12th 1976 the animals escaped.
She told jurors the horses must have got out of their paddock when her husband arrived home and left the gates open, "whenever he was going to unload whatever he had in the back of his car".
The witness told the court she first thought it was wood he was unloading, but added that it was boxes of nails.
Mrs MacDowell has given multiple statements to police since Mrs MacRae vanished, the court was told, including one the prosecution told the jury was taken on the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of the mother and son.
She told detectives: "I don't know what you're getting on at me for. I never stabbed her or whatever happened to her."
Mrs MacDowell said she made the comment to police on the "spur of the moment".
Advocate depute Alex Prentice KC asked her: "Spur of the moment? This is an inquiry, a massive inquiry, into the disappearance of Renee MacRae and Andrew MacRae."
Mrs MacDowell told the court it was "just a comment" she made, and there was "nothing meant by it".
Mr Prentice asked if she knew Mrs MacRae had been stabbed, and Mrs MacDowell told the court she did not know.
"It just came out as one does when one gets annoyed," she said.
MacDowell, 80, is charged with assaulting Mrs MacRae and Andrew at the Dalmagarry layby on the A9 trunk road south of Inverness, or elsewhere, by means unknown, and as a result murdering them.
He is also charged with disposing of their bodies and belongings by means unknown.
MacDowell denies all charges and has lodged a special defence of incrimination and alibi, part of which asserts that he arrived at home at about 8.15pm on November 12 1976 where he stayed until the following morning.
During her questioning, Mrs MacDowell was asked if they kept protective clothing MacDowell got from job sites. She told the court they would have had protective clothing on the property because they kept horses.
The court heard the family were meant to be going out for dinner that evening, but their plans had been cancelled. She then made dinner for herself and the children, the court was told, and then the two girls watched television.
Mrs MacDowell will continue to give evidence to the trial on Wednesday (September 21st).
The trial continues.