Thomas Ross KC

Inside Murder Trial: A Deadly Affair takes listeners inside the Inverness courtroom in which one of the most long-awaited murder trials in Scotland’s history was conducted. Across 10 half-hour episodes journalist Jane MacSorley and advocate Thomas Ross KC unpack each day’s evidence – in exactly the order in which it was presented to the jury

On 12th November 1976 Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew vanished after leaving their Inverness home. Later that day Renee’s burnt-out BMW was found in a lay-by off the A9. Neither Renee nor Andrew were ever seen again. It took almost 50 years to bring their killer William McDowell to trial  

Appearing on BBC Radio Scotland’s Mornings, with Stephen Jardine, Jane MacSorley described the podcast as “a listen like no other” and as “true crime on another level”.

Mr Ross added: “Many true crime podcasts are available – so we knew that we would be entering a very crowded field. What makes this podcast unique is the access that the production company had to the actual audio from the trial. Listeners can hear two of the very best senior counsel in the country – Alex Prentice and Murray Macara – examining and cross-examining the witnesses.

“Jane presents the material in a compelling way and asks the questions that the listeners might want answered. I answer those questions and comment upon the technical and tactical aspects of the trial process. The trial tells the story of a double tragedy. Jane and I hope that the podcast does justice to the memory of Renee and Andrew - and adds to the public’s understanding of the trial process.”