Sisters of Skye shooting victim condemn ‘callous and cowardly’ murderer

The household of John MacKinnon person described his slayer brother-in-law arsenic “evil and selfish” and said “lies” told by the “callous” murderer were untrue.

In a connection work by Detective Inspector Richard Baird, a tribute was paid to Mr MacKinnon, 47, who was changeable dormant by Finlay MacDonald, 41, portion making meal for his children connected August 10, 2022 successful their location connected the Isle of Skye.

MacDonald was jailed for beingness with a minimum word of 28 years connected Friday aft being recovered blameworthy of murdering Mr MacKinnon, and the attempted murders of his woman Rowena MacDonald and joined mates Fay and John MacKenzie successful a spree of violence.

Mr MacKinnon’s 2 sisters said the distillery idiosyncratic “was not successful tribunal to support himself” against allegations made astir his narration with MacDonald.

They said 10 children had been near fatherless arsenic a effect of the violence, and that lone the anticipation of a blameworthy verdict had kept them going.

The sisters said Mr MacKinnon “abhorred bullying” and praised him arsenic an “exceptional father” and a “great man” who was mourned by 600 radical astatine his funeral.

The connection said: “Today has concluded a agelong and anguishing hold for justness for our member John and the surviving victims. It has been a long, dark, heartbreaking roadworthy to get here.

There is nary spot successful nine for specified a unsafe individual

John MacKinnon's sisters, connected Finlay MacDonald

“It should ne'er beryllium forgotten that John was defenceless astatine the clip of his murder, erstwhile helium was inhumanely changeable 3 times successful his ain home, portion making meal for his children – murdered by Finlay MacDonald, whose callous and cowardly actions person traumatised each those involved.

“There is nary spot successful nine for specified a unsafe individual.

“To perceive the lies spoken astir John successful tribunal was devastating, anyone who knew him would recognise this arsenic a implicit fabrication.

“These lies were presented arsenic the information successful the defence’s grounds and went unchallenged successful court.

“Only 1 broadside was presented astir the statement successful 2013. John was not successful tribunal to support himself.

“John despised bullies and recovered bullying abhorrent.

“John MacKinnon was a large antheral and a person to all, helium was a loyal husband, an exceptional begetter and the champion member we could person had.”

They thanked the assemblage for “securing justness for John and the surviving victims of that day”, and praised the “incredible bravery” of arresting constabulary officers who “ensured no-one other was hurt”.

They added: “We widen our acknowledgment to the wider community. The nonaccomplishment of John is immeasurable. The lone happening that has kept america going is the anticipation that justness volition prevail.

“To instrumentality the beingness of different quality being is heinous. Life is precious. For John to person his beingness taken successful this mode is beyond comprehension.

“Finlay MacDonald’s children are present without a begetter owed to selfish and evil actions. John’s six children are without his guidance, information and humour. John would beryllium truthful arrogant and afloat of admiration for his children who person coped truthful bravely with specified atrocious adversity.

“We volition ne'er hide the peculiar antheral helium was and helium volition everlastingly unrecorded successful our hearts and memories.”

Detective Superintendent Lorna Ferguson said: “I would similar to extremity by making peculiar notation of the outstanding bravery displayed by the 2 officers who apprehended MacDonald.

“They acted nether acquisition to travel his conveyance and past enactment themselves astatine utmost hazard by pursuing him into a location arsenic shots were being fired.

“Their actions, which selflessly enactment nationalist information up of their own, brought this incidental to an extremity without immoderate further nonaccomplishment of life.”

Procurator fiscal for homicide Moira Orr said: “This has been a traumatic ordeal for each those affected by Finlay MacDonald’s shocking crimes.

“The circumstances of John MacKinnon’s decease and the injuries inflicted connected Rowena MacDonald and Fay and John MacKenzie are profoundly distressing and person had a profound effect connected their communities.

“As prosecutors, we ensured that each the admissible grounds gathered was led astatine proceedings successful bid that justness was delivered for John and the different victims and that yet MacDonald faced the consequences of his actions.

“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected astatine this hard time.”