Earlier this year, retired Scottish gamekeeper David Campbell was found guilty of murdering his former colleague from the Edradynate Estate in Perthshire, Brian Low, in February 2024.
During a 13-day murder trial, the jury at Glasgow High Court heard that Campbell had held a ‘festering grudge’ against Mr Low and set out to ‘ambush’ and ‘execute’ him by lying in wait with a shotgun on a quiet country lane near Aberfeldy where Mr Low regularly walked his dog.
(photo by Police Scotland)
Campbell’s conviction was not a surprise to many in the local community who’d lived in fear of him for years. He’d previously been a suspect in multiple police investigations into alleged raptor persecution crimes and other offences, with traces of poison found in pockets of his clothing and in his Land Rover, as well as dead raptors found concealed under the seat of his vehicle, but he was never convicted and often not even prosecuted, due to evidential difficulties, although in one case the Crown Office’s decision not to prosecute was not supported by Police Scotland.
The BBC’s award-winning documentary series Murder Trial was given permission to film inside the High Court during Campbell’s murder trial and the two-part programme, called Death of a Dog Walker, will air in August.
The write-up for episode one reads:
‘In 2024, the body of 65-year-old groundsman Brian Low is discovered on a country track in rural Aberfeldy, his beloved black Labrador Millie by his side. Police assume that Brian has suffered a medical episode, but six days later, the post-mortem reveals the shocking truth – Brian has been shot dead. His former colleague and gamekeeper on the estate where he worked, David Campbell, now stands trial for his murder.
With the site of the murder exposed to the elements for days, police are unable to forensically link anyone to the deceased. The prosecution builds a case against the accused around smaller, individual strands of circumstantial evidence while working to convince the jury that he is guilty beyond reasonable doubt’.
The preview for episode two reads:
‘With Brian’s family desperately seeking justice and answers, the fate of the accused hangs in the balance. Witnesses unearth more shocking revelations, and the defendant takes the stand before the jury answer the ultimate question: guilty or not guilty?
As the police investigation team finally close in on their suspect, the court are shown dramatic footage from Campbell’s custody interview where tempers flare when allegations are put to him. The prosecution point to a guilty man on the ropes, while the defence argue it shows a police force under pressure to get their man.
As the case builds to a climax, with persuasive and gripping closing speeches from both sides, Campbell awaits his fate whilst Brian’s grieving family anxiously await justice – either way, lives will change forever’.
This programme will air on BBC 2 Scotland at 9pm on Tuesday 11 August 2026 and will be available on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards.
UPDATE 2 August 2026: Book Review – Prelude to Murder: Revenge Killing on a Highland Sporting Estate (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Shot to death with a shotgun at close range but it took a PM several days later to work out he had been shot? Really!
“Shot to death with a shotgun at close range but it took a PM several days later to work out he had been shot? Really!”
Maybe, watch the programme and find out why?
Hi Iain,
There’s an excellent 30 min podcast discussing the initial mistakes made by Police Scotland in this case:
BBC Radio Scotland – Scotcast. Aberfeldy case: how did police get it so wrong?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002rp1l
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx. I met Mr. David Campbell in HMP Perth, while on remand and he seemed like a gentleman. I spoke to him several times, while waiting for a visit. We weren’t friendly, but I can understand why he might be angry xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx. I was framed by Police Scotland, xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx to whom I gave presented evidence by text message repeatedly that I was framed on July 21, 2026 to present and Police Scotland has yet to respond to me! APPEAL YOUR CONVICTION DAVID CAMPBELL AND SUE POLICE SCOTLAND! Yours Sincerely, Matthew Sylvestre BA MA LLB LLM
[Ed: Thanks, Keith. Not posting it – it’s not about him]
This whole story suggests to me another Headkeeper with “God syndrome” – which is very common*. This is a phenomenon for the academics to look into – i e. give an egotistical alpha male “big man” supreme reign over a few thousand acres and all that lives on it and in time he cannot separate it as a mere job from being his whole ego-driven self-identity and his jealousy guarded “top-dog” status. But he will have had a clique of loyal supporters too I bet – not least among what most estates establish as a faithful band of loaders, picker-ups and beaters.
Hopefully the programme will examine where he got the shotgun / murder weapon from. And if (I’m speculating a bit here) it is thought that it was loaned to him by a pal / someone from his clique, then surely there is another person out there that needs bringing to justice and therefore the case is far from closed. Or maybe I’m missing something?
*in the interest of fairness, I have also known a couple of extremely mild and decent, (law abiding – if we discount wildlife crime) good mannered Headkeepers who did not tend towards “God syndrome”.
Your first paragraph also rings bells with me regarding certain politicians!!
[Ed: comment deleted]