A 21-year-old man has denied the racially-aggravated murder of a scientist on a Dundee street. Kyler Rattray is accused of attacking Dr Fortune Gomo in South Street in July last year.
Prosecutors allege that Dr Gomo, 39, was repeatedly struck on the body with a knife and that the attack was aggravated by prejudice relating to race, colour, nationality or ethnicity. Mr Rattray also faces a separate charge of illegally possessing a knife in a public place.
The trial is scheduled to begin on 5 January 2028 at the High Court in Dundee and is expected to last eight days. Iain Paterson KC, defending, stated that Mr Rattray is pleading not guilty and that his mental health issues, including potential autism, are being investigated as a possible diminished responsibility defence.
Dr Gomo, originally from Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe, had graduated with a PhD from Dundee University and had recently started working for Scottish Water. Police Scotland previously acknowledged that her death caused significant shock in Dundee.