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Brian MacKinnon, who once gained worldwide attention for impersonating a teenage pupil while in his 30s, recently appeared in court after admitting to hiding in the home of his former university professor and putting him through a harrowing experience. The professor in question, 87-year-old Brian Whiting, was at home with his wife when MacKinnon entered their property the day following the broadcast of a BBC docudrama about MacKinnon’s unusual story.
The documentary, titled *My Old School*, detailed MacKinnon’s 1993 return to Bearsden Academy under the false identity of Brandon Lee, a 16-year-old purportedly newly arrived from Canada. MacKinnon’s motivation was to fulfill his ambition of becoming a doctor after having been expelled from Glasgow University during Whiting’s tenure as dean of the medical school. Having originally attended Bearsden Academy from 1974 to 1980, MacKinnon managed to secure five AS-level passes during the fake school stint, which earned him admission to study medicine at the University of Dundee.
However, his deception was uncovered in 1995 when an anonymous tip-off revealed his prior attendance at the University of Glasgow medical school, which he did not complete, having been expelled in 1983 after a failed appeal. BBC news footage from that time featured Professor Whiting, with actor Alan Cumming portraying MacKinnon in the 2022 dramatization. Court revelations show that on 28 September last year, just one day after *My Old School* aired again on the BBC, MacKinnon sneaked into the home of the retired professor in Glasgow’s west end. Around 16:30, he is believed to have entered through an unlocked rear door and gate while Whiting was in his study and his wife, Marlene, was outside in the garden.
Late that night, around two hours after going to bed, the Whitings woke up to find an intruder at their bedroom door. The man, dressed in dark clothing with his face partially covered by a mask and a grey cap, warned Marlene not to turn on any lights and demanded she remain in bed or face harm. According to the prosecutor, MacKinnon then questioned whether it was Brian Whiting and claimed to have brought two statements which he wanted released. He further threatened to kill the couple and harm their families if they did not comply. Marlene, unaware of the intruder’s identity until he revealed it as Brian MacKinnon, eventually led him downstairs to let him out, where he boasted about how easily he had gained access to their home and warned that he had people monitoring whether his demands were being followed, threatening fatal consequences otherwise.
The statements MacKinnon left behind appeared to be forged, implying Prof Whiting had been coerced into giving misleading testimony about MacKinnon’s medical studies. They asserted that the BBC had falsely portrayed his academic failure and suggested a conspiracy to exclude students like MacKinnon, labeling him as “incandescently bright.” Defamatory remarks also targeted Glasgow University, BBC Scotland, and actor Alan Cumming. Despite initial efforts, police were eventually able to link MacKinnon to the crime via DNA evidence and CCTV footage showing him near the property. He was arrested at his home in Milngavie later that day, where officers recovered various items including a phone, notebooks with statements about resuming medical studies, and forged documents.
Last week, MacKinnon, now 63 and described as frail with uncontrolled arm movements, appeared in court via wheelchair and pleaded guilty to attempted extortion. His defense lawyer acknowledged MacKinnon’s extraordinary life and lifelong desire to become a doctor, which ended after his deception was revealed. The lawyer noted the heavy impact of the episode, which followed MacKinnon into the public eye for decades, including during the recent docudrama that MacKinnon did not approve. Psychiatric assessment found him fit for trial. The sentencing was postponed as the court awaits further reports, with MacKinnon remaining in custody at HMP Barlinnie. Lady Anwar reminded him that he subjected an elderly couple to a “shocking and terrifying ordeal” and warned a significant custodial sentence was likely
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