Pensioner, 68, denies murdering man's mother in a Scottish park in 1994 and will stand trial in January 2028

Beyond the murder charge, Fraser Kilpatrick faces 15 additional counts, including the alleged rape of a young girl and pouring boiling water on a child. Prosecutors say he attacked Shona Stevens, 31, with a hammer to the head in Bourtreehill Park, Irvine, then dragged her into woodland nearby. She succumbed to her injuries at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital three days after the attack. Donald Findlay KC entered not guilty pleas to all charges on Tuesday.

Shona Stevens's daughter Candice was just seven when her mother was killed.

He is further alleged to have pressed a lit flame against three other children on separate occasions.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC told the court: 'It is a case of some age.'