A MAN has appeared in court accused of murdering two cousins at a family vigil for a teenager who is feared dead after plunging from cliffs.
Robert Stratton appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court accused of murdering David Sorrie, 32, and Julie McCash, 43.
He faced a further charge of attempting to murder Wendy McKinney during the incident, as well as assaulting his partner Lee Kinney on various occasions that day.
It is understood the cousins were found dead outside an address in Drumlanrig Drive, Dundee, at about 6.30am on Sunday.
They had been at the address for a family gathering after Julie’s nephew, Ralph Smith, 18, fell from cliffs in Arbroath on Saturday afternoon.
He is missing, feared dead, and searches for him along the Angus coastline were continuing last night.
Mr Stratton, 42, of Drumlanrig Drive, Dundee, was detained on Sunday and charged later that night.
Yesterday he appeared in private on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court, facing four charges.
They allege that on various occasions on Sunday, at an address on the same street as he lives in, he assaulted his partner Ms Kinney, repeatedly seizing her and pushing and pulling her, pushing her against a wall, seizing her neck, throwing her to the ground, picking her up and carrying her away, all to her injury.
Mr Stratton is then alleged to have murdered Ms McCash by striking her on the body with a knife. He is then alleged to have attempted to murder Ms McKinney by attempting to strike her with knives.
Finally, Mr Stratton is alleged to have murdered Mr Sorrie by striking him after pursuing him with the two knives.
Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty, for Mr Stratton, made no motion for bail during a brief hearing.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC continued the case for further examination and remanded Mr Stratton in custody meantime.
He is expected to appear in court again next week.
A large cordon was thrown up around the scene, with a heavy police presence, as a forensic examination was carried out.
A blue forensics tent was erected outside one property, before being moved to another location nearby in the middle of the afternoon.
Officers in white suits carried out investigations. Locals were briefly allowed into the cordon to lay flowers close to the scene.
A local resident, who asked not to be named, said: “By 8am, the street was packed with emergency services.
“It’s a horrible incident. There are some issues in this area, but serious violence isn’t usually one of them.”
Police yesterday said searches for the missing teenager would continue.
Chief Inspector David McIntosh said: “We have carried out extensive multi-agency searches of the coastline for Ralph over the weekend and these will continue today, with support from the Police Scotland Air Support Unit and specialist Police Scotland search teams.”
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