24 Facts About Willie McRae

Willie McRae was a Scottish lawyer, orator, naval officer, politician and anti-nuclear campaigner.

Willie McRae supported the Indian independence movement and for much of his life was active in the Scottish National Party.

Willie McRae's death spawned conspiracy theories among Scottish Nationalists that he had been assassinated by the British security services.

Willie McRae was born in Carron, Falkirk, where his father was an electrician.

Willie McRae edited a local newspaper in Grangemouth at the same time as reading history at the University of Glasgow, from which he gained a first-class degree.

Willie McRae authored the maritime law of Israel and was an emeritus professor of the University of Haifa.

Willie McRae was a vocal critic of the British nuclear lobby.

Willie McRae struggled with both depression and alcoholism: erratic behaviour led to him being removed from his law practice in 1981.

At the time of his death, Willie McRae had two drink driving convictions and was awaiting action on a third, which could have seen him jailed.

On 5 April 1985 Willie McRae left his Glasgow flat at 18:30 to spend the weekend at his cottage at Ardelve near Dornie, Ross-shire.

Willie McRae was not seen again until the next morning around 10:00, when two Australian tourists, Alan Crowe, an airline pilot, and his wife Barbara, saw his maroon Volvo saloon car on a moor a short distance from the junction of the A887 and A87 roads Bun Loyne, Glenmoriston, Inverness-shire.

Dr Messer recalled that Willie McRae still had his seatbelt on and that the car's door was wedged against the uneven ground.

Willie McRae was unresponsive with a wound to his temple, with blood clotted in his hair.

Dr Messer examined Willie McRae and found that he was still alive and breathing.

Willie McRae noted that one of his pupils was dilated, indicating the possibility of brain damage, and estimated that he had been in that state for 10 hours.

Willie McRae was removed by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, accompanied by Dr Messer.

An X-ray confirmed that Willie McRae had been shot above his right ear and a bullet was detected in his head.

Willie McRae's brain was severely damaged and his vital functions very weak.

The investigation was headed by Chief Superintendent Andrew Lister of Northern Constabulary CID, which initially proceeded in the assumption that Willie McRae had been injured in a car accident.

Willie McRae did not discover anything that would have put his life at risk.

Willie McRae spent much of his life trying to help people.

In 2005, Winnie Ewing's son Fergus, by then an MSP, requested a meeting with Elish Angiolini, Solicitor General for Scotland, to discuss allegations that have persisted that Willie McRae was under surveillance at the time of his death.

In July 2006, a retired police officer, Iain Fraser, who was working as a private investigator at the time of Willie McRae's death, claimed that he had been anonymously employed to keep Willie McRae under surveillance only weeks before he died.

Also in November 2010, Donald Morrison, a former Strathclyde Police officer, alleged that Willie McRae had been "under surveillance" by both Special Branch and MI5.