Judge Lady Drummond told MacDonald he was guilty of “series of brutal and mindlessly violent attacks”, and that statements from Mr MacKinnon’s family had been “heartbreaking to read”.

The attacks took place over a period of about an hour, starting at before 09:00 on Wednesday 10 August 2022, in the final days of the school summer holidays.

The first incident was in the MacDonalds’ family home in Tarskavaig on the Sleat peninsula, an area in the south of Skye which is home to about 750 people.

MacDonald had a volatile relationship with his wife and suspected she was having an affair.

The court heard he was upset by text messages he had seen exchanged between Mrs MacDonald, 34, and her boss.

The couple struggled over her phone, before MacDonald took a knife from his pocket and started stabbing her.

Their four young children heard her screaming and came to the kitchen door. MacDonald continued the attack as his wife tried to get out of the house, but the back door was locked.