Wife killer fails in freedom bid

McDonald was jailed for seven years

An Aberdeen man convicted of killing his wife during a sex act must stay in prison until his appeal is heard, a court has ruled.

Niall McDonald was jailed for seven years after being found guilty of culpable homicide following the death of his wife Mandy.

His lawyers returned to the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday to argue that the 35-year-old should be freed on bail pending an appeal.

But Lord Cowie rejected a plea for his interim liberation at a brief appearance in private.

McDonald hid his wife's body

Afterwards, solicitor Shaun George said a further appeal against that decision may be considered.

"I am going to be giving consideration to whether that should be reviewed at this stage," he said.

Mr George said he did not expect a full appeal to be heard for about six months because of a backlog of cases.

McDonald had been charged with murder, but was found guilty of a reduced charge of culpable homicide by a jury at the High Court sitting in Forfar last month.

'Lack of respect'

He was also convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of his wife's body, cleaning blood stains from their home and telling people she had disappeared following a row.

He was jailed for seven years by Lord Penrose, who said he had no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.

He said there were tragic characteristics to the case, but what McDonald had done in an attempt to conceal the body had shown a "total disregard and lack of respect".

Police eventually found Mrs McDonald's body

McDonald alleged that his wife Mandy, 32, had died in a tragic accident when a sex act went wrong at their home in Arnhall Drive, Westhill, Aberdeen, on 4 January last year.

McDonald was convicted of culpable homicide by compressing his wife's neck with his arm during a sex act.

He first told police that she had left their home after an argument, which sparked a massive search.

However, he later led officers to her body, saying she had stopped breathing during their lovemaking.

He had panicked and dumped her in woodland on the outskirts of Aberdeen.