Former Head Gamekeeper Stands Trial Accused of Murdering Retired Colleague
A seventy-seven-year-old former head gamekeeper has gone on trial at the High Court in Glasgow, accused of the shotgun murder of a retired groundsman in a remote part of Perthshire. David Campbell faces allegations that he gunned down sixty-five-year-old Brian Low on a track near Aberfeldy in February 2024, with prosecutors detailing a series of charges and a complex backstory between the two men.
Details of the Alleged Shooting and Charges
Prosecutors assert that Campbell, who worked as the head gamekeeper at Edradynate Estate in Perthshire from May 1984 to February 2018, shot Mr Low on Leafy Lane, close to the Pitilie track. Mr Low, who had been employed as a groundsman at the same estate between August 2000 and February 2023, was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic at 9am on 17 February 2024. A post-mortem examination conducted six days later confirmed the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the neck and chest.
Campbell has pleaded not guilty to eight charges, including the murder accusation, and has lodged a special defence of alibi, claiming he was at home at the time of the alleged incident. The prosecution alleges that he previously displayed "malice and ill-will" towards Mr Low, discharging a shotgun that left the victim so severely injured he died at the location.
Additional Allegations of Concealment and Historical Charges
Further accusations include that Campbell disabled CCTV cameras at Tigh Na Caorann on Aberfeldy's Crieff Road in an attempt to hide his whereabouts. He is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice between 16 February and 24 May 2024 by:
- Disposing of the alleged murder weapon and gun bag.
- Getting rid of a Walther Rotex RM8 airgun.
- Having replacement tyres fitted on an electric bike reportedly used during the shooting.
- Dumping a box, a cartridge bag, and bicycle tyres at Aberfeldy Recycling Centre or elsewhere.
In addition to the murder-related charges, Campbell faces five separate breach of the peace charges spanning from July 1995 to September 2012. These involve allegations of acting in a disorderly manner that put four men and two women in a "state of fear and alarm," including threats to shoot three of the men and one of the women along with her family.
Court Testimony and Historical Tensions
During the trial, retired police officer Alan Stewart testified about his interactions with Campbell, noting "tension" between them due to their respective roles—Campbell as a gamekeeper and Stewart in investigating wildlife crime. Mr Stewart recounted an incident at Scone Palace's game fair in the summer of 1995, where Campbell allegedly stated, "It's great what vermin you see when you haven't got a gun." He described the comment as being made "with venom" rather than as a joke, adding that while such threats were common in his line of work, they upset his wife and granddaughter.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Tony Lenehan KC, Mr Stewart agreed that Campbell would not have been the only gamekeeper in the region not "on his Christmas card list." Campbell is further accused of possessing a Walther Rotex RM8 airgun without the relevant certificate between May 2017 and February 2024 and discharging it on various occasions.
The trial, presided over by Lord Scott, continues as the court examines the evidence and testimonies in this high-profile case.
