Two men accused of tying up and murdering 'loving husband and doting father' in Inverness

Two men have appeared in court charged with murdering a man in Inverness by tying him up by his wrists and repeatedly striking him on the head.

Craig Hayden, 28, from Alness, and Leon Headey, 21, from Liverpool, are accused of killing Ross MacGillivray who was found with serious injuries at a property on St Ninian Drive shortly after midnight on Sunday, November 12.

The charge states that the pair, whilst acting with another, restrained their victim and repeatedly struck him on the head and body by means unknown, inflicting blunt force head injuries.

They also made no plea to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

That charge alleges that they cleaned Mr MacGillivray’s body, removed his clothing, and other items from the address in St Ninian Drive between November 11 and November 12 and disposed of them in the Caledonian Canal.

It is further alleged that they destroyed a mobile phone by smashing it.

appeared before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald and made no plea to the allegation.

Mr MacGillivray was found in the house in the Dalneigh housing estate. Emergency services were called to the scene and an area of the nearby Caledonian Canal was cordoned off.

A heavy police presence was in the estate for several days with police confirming they were treating the death as murder following the results of a post-mortem.

The man leading the enquiry, detective chief inspector (DCI) Martin MacDougall, said “a significant degree of violence” had been used.

In a statement released through the force, Mr MacGillivray’s family said: “Ross was a loving husband, a doting father, loved by his family and friends and all who met him.”

Hayden’s lawyer David Patterson and Headey’s solicitor John MacColl both confirmed that no application had been made for their clients to be released on bail. The accused were both remanded.