Man found not guilty of murdering his friend in boozed-up row at Wick house
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A man accused of murdering his friend during a drunken row has been found not guilty.
Bruce Rothwell (62) was on trial at the High Court in Inverness accused of causing the death of Thomas McTeir at a house in Wick on June 13, 2020.
Prosecutors alleged that Mr Rothwell assaulted Mr McTeir by inflicting blunt force trauma and then compressing his neck, causing him to die three days later at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.
A special defence of self-defence was lodged.
After a four-day trial the jury returned a majority verdict of not guilty after just over three hours of deliberations.
Speaking outside court after the trial concluded on Wednesday, Mr Rothwell said he was “relieved” at the outcome.
He said: “It's been two years this has been sitting over me. I've never been in trouble with the law in my life.
“It was just one of those incidents that happened with my friend.
“I'm glad the jury reached that verdict rather than the not proven one.
“My friend lost his life and I lost my friend. It's just a sorry state of affairs.”
The court heard Mr Rothwell may have “struck out” in self defence after being smashed over the head with an ashtray during an alcohol-fuelled row.
When giving evidence, Mr Rothwell said that the pair had been drinking acquaintances and that on the day in question they spent the afternoon drinking a litre of vodka between them at Rothwell's home in Wick's Barrogill Street.
Rothwell, a former motorcycle courier turned IT adviser, said Mr McTeir had been in a mood on the day, due to reasons he could not work out, which eventually led to a disagreement.
Rothwell told the court: “There was something about him. There was something not right.
“It wasn't like we were rowing or raising our voices or anything.”
The court heard Rothwell claim that he went into the kitchen to “refresh his glass” with more vodka when he said he was struck by Mr McTeir (50).
Mr Rothwell said: “It might have been something about me refreshing my glass. Drinking it too fast or something.
“I went in to get the vodka bottle and the next thing I knew I was hit by something hard and heavy.
“I can only assume it was that ashtray.
“I've got blood pouring down my face. I couldn't see. I can only assume I lashed out at Tommy in self defence.”
He added: “I've got no memory of striking Tommy. I'm assuming I've lashed out in self-defence as a result of the attack.”
Rothwell phoned an ambulance and said at one point he thought Mr McTeir was “play-acting” at being hurt.
At another point he said he believed that his friend could have been having a heart attack.
Rothwell denied murder.
The High Court also heard Mr McTeir had liver and heart problems, when medical evidence was given by the defence.
The trial was held before Lord Arthurson.
