A frail pensioner has appeared in court accused of murdering a woman in her Inverness home.
Michael Taylor had to be helped into Inverness Sheriff Court to face the charge of killing Liz Mackay at her home in the Hilton area of the city nearly a week ago.
The 70-year-old made no plea or declaration during the brief private hearing, and was remanded in custody.
His appearance came as police released the first image of tragic Ms Mackay, 60, who was found in her kitchen by two friends last Thursday.
Taylor, who is from the Inverness area, will return to court next week for a second private hearing.
The pensioner, represented by solicitor John MacColl, was taken to Burnett Road police station in the Highland capital for question on Tuesday afternoon and was later charged.
Wearing a blue T-shirt and grey jogging bottoms, he was yesterday driven from local police cells to Inverness Castle by the G4S security company.
He emerged from the van unsteady on his feet and told a security officer he was worried about tripping on the few steps down, so the officer kept a tight grip of him.
He was then guided through the red metal door to the court cell block, where he remained for several hours before being taken into court to face Sheriff Margaret Neilson.
Meanwhile, Ms Mackay’s family yesterday issued a photograph of her, despite the fact she had lost contact with many of her relatives years ago.
The mother-of-one has been described as “a very private woman, a bit of a loner” but as someone “who wouldn’t hurt a fly”.
Her ex-husband Terence Muir lives in Bournemouth and he said he was “devastated” by her death.
Detectives launched a murder hunt after she was found at her home in Kintail Court, when her friends made a “spur of the moment” visit.
Police sealed off the property and erected a large tent in the front garden as forensic officers examined the scene and tried to piece together what had happened.
Officers also stepped up patrols in the area and trawled through hours of CCTV footage.
Ms MacKay moved into her home eight years ago, and was one of the first tenants to live in the council house – dubbed the “house of horrors” by neighbours – after Brian Grant, who murdered hairdresser Ilene O’Connor and then buried her in the garden a decade ago.
He was jailed for a minimum of 14 years.
