BBC ALBA EXAMINES THE STORY OF THE GARVIE MURDER TRIAL
Wednesday 23rd February at 9pm on BBC ALBA
SGEULACHD SHEILA GARVIE : THE SHEILA GARVIE STORY
Continuing its strand of compelling Scottish Killers profiles, BBC ALBA looks at one of Scotland’s most mysterious 20th century cases.
Produced by STV, the drama documentary tells the story of the murder of wealthy farmer Max Garvie, in the Mearns area of Aberdeenshire, in 1968. Shot dead while he slept, exactly what happened that night remains unclear.
Garvie’s glamorous wife Sheila had been having a passionate affair with a local man. The two lovers were subsequently sentenced to life for murder but their stories, along with that of another key witness, conflict to this day. The programme on BBC ALBA revisits their individual testimonies and asks who pulled the trigger, and who else stood by and watched.
In vivid drama reconstruction, the sinister story of Sheila Garvie and the brutal murder of her husband are brought to the screen. Interviews with journalists and lawyers recall the explosive trial that followed, in the High Court, Aberdeen. The programme stars Scots actress Gail Watson delivering a remarkable performance as Sheila.
In his youth, Maxwell Garvie was considered the ‘toast of the Mearns’ – a charismatic playboy who took on the family farming business at the age of 21. With an appetite for reckless spending, heavy drinking and daredevil stunts in his private plane, Garvie’s colourful activities were no secret in the tranquil area of the north east.
From the outset of their marriage, Sheila was disturbed by his growing obsession with sex. He had multiple lovers, and established a nudist club known as ‘kinky cottage.’ As Garvie’s behaviour spiralled out of control, indulging in drugs and partner swapping, 33 year old Sheila fell in love with Brian Tevendale, aged 22, from Laurencekirk.
One night in May 1968, Max Garvie was shot dead with a rifle while asleep in the marital bed. It took three months before his wife, and Tevendale, were arrested on suspicion of murder. Along with 19 year old Alan Peters, who had accompanied Brian Tevendale to the farm on the night, they stood trial. The three versions of what actually happened, varied dramatically. The programme portrays the incidents through each of them by turn, alongside Sheila’s subsequent revelations in her book, Marriage to Murder, published in 1980.
Former journalist Gordon Hay met Sheila Garvie, following her release from prison after serving ten years of her sentence. He says: “You had it all … the sex intrigue, the murder intrigue, the finding of the body … it is certainly the North East’s most dramatic trial, and one of the most fascinating Scottish cases ever.”
Sgeulachd Sheila Garvie : The Sheila Garvie Story can be seen on BBC ALBA on Wednesday 23rd February at 9pm, and repeated on Thursday 24th at 10pm.