north community rocked by arrestcouple’s son ‘utterly shocked’
Highland pensioner to face charge of murdering wife
Published:
A Highland community was in shock last night at the death of an elderly woman whose husband will appear in court today accused of her murder.
The body of Ann Brown, 74, was found at their picture-sque lochside cottage near Lochinver, Sutherland.
Her husband Edwin Brown, 72, known locally as Ed, is to appear in private at Tain Sheriff Court today on a charge of murder.
Mr Brown called police to their home at Holly Croft, Badnaban, in Sutherland, on Wednesday night where officers found his wife dead.
It is understood she died as a result of stab wounds.
Their son Neil, who lives off Harrowden Road, Inverness, said he was “utterly shocked” at losing his mother and discovering that his father had been arrested.
But he refused to comment further, saying the police had not told him anything of the circumstances surrounding her death.
He said: “All I know is my mum is dead and my dad has been arrested.”
Locals were horrified at the turn of events.
Alastair MacAskill, a member of Assynt Community Council who has a butcher’s shop in Lochinver, said: “They were a very personable couple who lived a private life. We just can’t believe this has happened. A sense of shock came over the village when they heard news.”
He said the Browns had been living in the area for at least 23 years.
The couple are believed to have recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and have a daughter who lives in Caithness.
They used to run a bed and breakfast business at a property called Suilven in Badnaban, but built a smaller house on their croft on the shores of Loch Inver, where they kept a flock of Jacob sheep, moving there about two years ago.
Mr Brown also kept a boat at Badnaban, which he used to take guests on wildlife watching and fishing trips, but it is understood that he retired when he became ill with cancer.
The pair attended meetings of Assynt Field Club. Its chairman, Ian Evans, was last night shocked to hear that Mrs Brown was dead and her husband was in custody.
He said they had been very interested in the local wildlife and Mr Brown had taken him out on his boat.
“I last saw them in the village some time in the spring,” said Mr Evans.
“I know he had been ill but, apart from that, when I last saw him he seemed fine.”
He added: “I’m very sad to hear what has happened. It’s a real shock.”
A local woman, who knew the couple quite well but did not want to be named, said they were Scottish and had lived in Africa where Mr Brown had been an industrial chemist with a mining firm.
They returned to Scotland to retire in the Highlands, she said.
The woman added that she had seen them both in the last week and was “exceedingly shocked” by the news.
“They were a sociable couple and everybody from Badnaban knew them, mainly because of their sheep and they used to go out walking in the area.”
Mr Brown had been a keen cyclist in his youth and although he still went out walking, the woman said she thought his cancer was making life difficult and he was upset about not being able to do the things he used to do.
Inspector Neil Mackinnon of Northern Constabulary, who is stationed at Dornoch, yesterday said inquiries were continuing in the Badnaban area, which is about three miles from Lochinver.
He said a 72-year-old man was in custody overnight and would be appearing at Tain Sheriff Court today.
