A retired journalist has recalled an interview he conducted with a suspected killer standing trial for murder.

Stuart Lindsay, who used to work for Glasgow-based daily The Herald, has given evidence at the High Court in Inverness in the case of William MacDowell.

MacDowell, 80, denies murdering 36-year-old Renee MacRae and their son Andrew MacRae, three, who went missing in November 1976.

Stuart, 78, was among a group of journalists who tried to question MacDowell a week after the disappearance of Mrs MacRae and her son, following a press conference.

Renee and Andrew MacRae

The court heard the journalists went to his property after a reporter had seen a police briefing paper which identified MacDowell as being Mrs MacRae’s lover.

Stuart told the trial MacDowell had confirmed that he had been having an affair but that he and his wife Rosemary would stay together.

MacDowell add he “didn’t think” Mrs MacRae and her son were dead and explained they had a telephone code of letting the phone ring twice and hanging up to get the attention of one another.

Speaking in court, Stuart said: “He said this phone signalling system had happened twice since her disappearance.”

Stuart added he told MacDowell it had been the only evidence since Mrs MacRae went missing that she was still alive.

Asked if he mentioned this to detectives, Stuart said: “It must have slipped my mind.”

The trial continues.