Father denies killing sons

The hearing was at the High Court in Edinburgh

A father has denied murdering his two infant sons who died eight years apart.

Ian Metcalfe, from Dumfries, is accused of smothering the boys after subjecting them to weeks of ill-treatment.

A further charge alleges the 34-year-old tried to murder another baby boy.

At a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Metcalfe pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him.

Murder attempts

He is accused of smothering his son Iain by holding his hand or some other object over his face in January 1988 when he was two months old.

He is also accused of murdering his son, Dylan, aged five months, by placing something over his hand and mouth in March 1996.

It is alleged that before the death of both boys they were subjected to earlier murder attempts by their father.

Another charge alleges that in 1998, Metcalfe twice tried to murder another baby, who was less than a year old, and who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

A trial is expected to start next month.