Retired Police Inspector Declares Convicted Gamekeeper 'Exactly Where He Belongs'
A retired police officer has stated that a former gamekeeper, now imprisoned for shooting a man dead, is 'in exactly the right place' following his life sentence. Alan Stewart, aged 78, revealed that he immediately suspected David Campbell was responsible for the killing of Brian Low near Aberfeldy in Perthshire.
Decades of Suspicion Culminate in Murder Conviction
Campbell, 77, was this week handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 19 years for what prosecutors described as the 'brazen and brutal execution' of Brian Low, a colleague from the Edradynate Estate. Mr Stewart, a former wildlife crime investigator, had numerous encounters with Campbell over alleged wildlife offences on the 4,000-acre estate but previously failed to secure a conviction.
'He's been sailing very close to the wind for a long time and he's in exactly the right place now,' Mr Stewart said after giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow. 'He's a vindictive character who always seemed to get off with anything that he's charged with. At least this once for the most serious offence has ended in a conviction and a good sentence.'
Immediate Suspicion and Historical Grudges
Mr Stewart explained that upon hearing about the murder—a shooting near Edradynate—he instantly thought of Campbell. 'When I heard it was a murder, when I heard it was a shooting, immediately with the link with Edradynate and the fact it was a gun I thought: "Campbell's got to be the guy here."' His involvement with Campbell dates back to 1995 as a police inspector and continued in the 2000s as a civilian wildlife crime officer investigating bird poisonings on the estate.
He recounted a 1995 incident where Campbell approached him at a game fair and remarked, 'It's great what vermin you see when you have not got a gun.' Mr Stewart noted it was no surprise to see Campbell on trial, stating, 'It was a shock to find it was a murder, but I was quite sure he would be involved in different crimes that finish up in court, or that don't finish up in court because there's insufficient evidence, because he just thought he could get away with anything. He was a chap who held grudges, and he thought he was pretty much untouchable.'
Previous Legal Encounters and a Fatal Blunder
Campbell had previously faced charges in 2018 at Perth Sheriff Court for allegedly poisoning game crops in retaliation against estate owner Michael Campbell after losing his job, but was acquitted. Police had also raided his home before 2010 in connection to suspected bird poisonings, though charges were dropped. Campbell believed he was set up and suspected groundskeeper Brian Low of planting evidence.
Brian Low, 65, was murdered on February 16, 2024, while walking his dog, with his body discovered the next day. An extraordinary blunder saw his death initially marked as non-suspicious, delaying a murder investigation for ten days. Campbell was not arrested until May 24, approximately 18 weeks later.
Sentencing and Judicial Remarks
Prosecutor Greg Farrell labelled the killing a 'cowardly ambush motivated by nothing more than sheer malice.' Sentencing Campbell, Lord Scott imposed a life sentence, noting the murderer's advanced age makes it likely he will die in prison. 'The bitterness and grudge you bore Brian Low, reflected in some of the things said to others, did not diminish. In fact, it seemed to have become more intense. This led you to carrying out the sort of killing referred to as a targeted assassination or pre-planned execution on a victim who was unaware of the fate to befall him,' Lord Scott said.
Campbell denied the charges and presented a special defence of alibi, but the jury saw through it, leading to his conviction. The case highlights long-standing tensions and alleged criminal behaviour on the rural estate, finally culminating in a severe punishment for a brutal crime.
