Murderer caught using walk-identifying forensic technique

Gordon Veitch, 56, from East Lothian, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder of Brian Bathgate, 45, a joiner.

Counsel for Mr Veitch, John Scott QC, said his client, who has cancer, could die in jail. Mr Veitch was found guilty of stabbing Mr Bathgate in the neck following a trial in the High Court in Edinburgh.

Judge Sean Murphy QC said: “On two occasions you went to remonstrate with Mr Bathgate. The circumstances are not clear but you stabbed him in the neck before leaving the scene.”

Mr Veitch was caught using ground-breaking footprint analysis techniques that led detectives to him 18 months after the murder.

A forensic team identified the killer as someone who walked with his right foot pointing out.

Mr Veitch denied the murder of Mr Bathgate who was discovered dead in his cottage on March 15, 2013.

These techniques had never been used by Police Scotland until this investigation.

Detective chief inspector Keith Hardie said: “After an extensive investigation lasting more than a year-and-a-half, officers were in a position to arrest and charge Gordon Veitch for murder.”