You're listening to the Men's Ray podcast, and this is the story of the Beast of Birkenshaw. Oh, Welcome back listeners. Last time we heard all about Peter Manuel and his family

where he grew up and how from a young age he was in trouble with the law. We saw his criminality and his violence grow and culminate in the deaths of at least eight people.

Ann Neeland, the Watts family, Isabel Cook, and the Smart Family. He was a convicted burglar and an admitted murderer, but when we left him he was facing into a legal battle and was unhappy with his legal representation, though he had the best that the state could offer.

The Scottish legal system works much like the Irish legal system in that there are no designated

public defenders, rather lawyers who deal with criminal cases are on a

rota and are roster to deal with cases as they arise.

So in Manuel's case, he was given the next available barrister, who happened to be the counsel that his old lawyer, Dowdle, had briefed when it looked as if William Watts would be standing trial for the murder of his family.

Manual knew the Scottish legal system literally inside out. He had

defended himself before. He had studied law while he was in prison in Peterhead

for rape, so it seems nearly logical that he would ditch one of the best

known advocates to try his hand to defending himself against eight murder charges.

As soon as he could he started to assist in his own defense. He had an earnest conversation with family, friends, and associates, some criminal, others not.

It's possible that he was trying to help them to remember events in a way that would help him in his defense.

He tried to starve himself so as to look pale and thin, as if he was being mistreated when next he appeared in court but his family

sent him food and he ate whatever they sent. There were questions from both

sides as to whether Manuel was mentally fit to stand trial.

The obvious question had to be asked.

Was this a madman that had committed these random and senseless crimes?

Was he for the purposes of the Court of Law in Seine?

To answer that question, experts had to be brought in to ascertain manual's mental faculties.

He was examined by a number of medical professionals numerous times after his arrest, including two forensic pathologists who examined the victims and a neurologist.

The neurologist Andrew McNiven also spoke to Peter's family about his behavior and personality.

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