Figures from the FOI submitted by the Tele reveal almost £250,000 has been spent on legal aid for the perpetrators of some of the area’s worst crimes in recent times.
In part two of our exclusive legal aid investigation, we look at how much taxpayers have forked out on some of the area’s most notorious criminals.
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Brian McTaggart
Brian McTaggart, 54, carried out rapes, sexual abuse and violent assaults on victims in Dundee over two decades.
He was jailed for life last year after a jury at the High Court in Glasgow found him guilty of sexual and physical abuse between 1980 and 2001.
McTaggart carried out a horrific catalogue of rapes, violent assaults and sexual abuse against 18 victims at addresses across Dundee.
The court heard McTaggart raped his wife more than 900 times during their 10-year marriage.
The monster dropped a hairdryer into one woman’s bath and kicked her down a flight of stairs. Another rape victim was choked and had her head forced under water.
A third woman was raped on four occasions as she slept, while McTaggart also indecently assaulted teenage girls and boys as well as physically abusing women and teenagers.
He was given £54,292.10 of legal aid.
Robert Stratton
Double killer Robert Stratton, 42, was found guilty of the murder of Julie McCash and the culpable homicide of David Sorrie in 2017.
Both Ms McCash and Mr Sorrie were stabbed following an altercation on Drumlanrig Drive.
The incident happened at a family vigil for missing teenager Ralph Smith, with Stratton’s partner Lee Kinney becoming involved in an argument and a physical altercation with others at the event.
She ran home after the incident and soon after, Stratton appeared with two kitchen knives and carried out the attack on Ms McCash and Mr Sorrie.
He was sentenced to 23 years as part of a life term after being convicted.
In January, Stratton was given a further sentence of five years and told his earliest release date would be 2040 when he brutally slashed a fellow inmate and wounded prison officer Gillian Connor at HMP Grampian in Peterhead. Stratton was given £30,050.17 in legal aid.
Murray Fotheringham
Murray Fotheringham – along with Lee Winters – was found guilty of murdering Dundee dad John Donachy in March last year.
The pair plunged a blade into Donachy at least 13 times and struck him with a baseball bat.
The brutal assault took place in Alyth, with jurors at the High Court in Edinburgh finding both men guilty of murder.
One of the blows suffered by Mr Donachy, who was originally from the Hilltown, was so severe it caused three separate wounds – piercing his arm and chest cavity.
He was murdered at Winters’ home on Hazel Court following an argument, after the three men had been drinking.
The court heard Fotheringham made a series of incriminating statements following Mr Donachy’s death.Hours later, he was heard saying: “I just stabbed **** out of someone.”
Fotheringham received £36,216.71 in legal aid.
Lee Winters
Lee Winters and accomplice Fotheringham, who were found guilty of murdering John Donachy in March last year, have since explored the option of appealing their conviction and sentence.
Winters is appealing against his conviction and sentence, while Fotheringham is appealing only his sentence.The pair maintained their innocence throughout the trial.
Solicitor George Donnelly, who represents Winters, said his appeal is based on the judge’s charge to the jury – the instructions concerning the law that apply to the facts of the case.
The case is currently going through the appeals process. Winters has received £22,268.94 in legal aid.
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