A Fife man accused of killing a baby in Buckhaven almost two years ago has made a further appearance at the High Court in Glasgow.
Gordon McKay, 37, stands accused of murdering five-month-old Hayley Davidson in February 2016, and is still expected to stand trial next month.
McKay denies the charges against him and was present at a preliminary hearing in Glasgow on Tuesday morning were he again tabled not guilty pleas.
McKay is alleged to have bitten the tot and bent and compressed her body in assaults on various occasions during her short life.
He is also accused of repeatedly shaking her and inflicting trauma and violence on her head and body by unknown means.
Hayley was so severely injured, according to the indictment against McKay, that she died in hospital on February 17, 2016.
A trial date of February 16 2018 had previously been set, but some doubt has now been cast over that after Lord Mulholland agreed to continue a preliminary hearing at the latest High Court session.
The court heard from a solicitor acting for McKay, who was late to court after being stuck in traffic on the M8, that new material had come to light on Friday in relation to GP, health and social work records, and that the defence team needed more time to “digest” the contents of that material.
“His agent tells me that there is material that he has looked at that might require the defence to postpone the trial,” the solicitor explained.
The Crown has no opposition to the latest delay, describing it as a “sensible approach”, with a further preliminary hearing due to take place on Friday of next week (Jan 26).
The court has previously heard that some evidence has already been agreed before the trial, for which a special defence of incrimination has been lodged, including details of non-accidental injury.
The court has also been told in previous hearings how McKay’s defence team has struggled to find expert witnesses available to give evidence, with Lord Beckett expressing frustration at an earlier hearing in August when McKay’s lawyer sought a further continuation of the case for that reason.
Up to 55 witnesses could be called to give evidence during the trial, which is expected to take up to 20 days.
McKay’s bail has been continued.
