UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -*arrest* #4

[Mercsw]

I think let it sit and everything will come out in time. The right guy is spending the next 50 years in jail and he did do the crime.

However...

A lot of contradictions in this case. The evidence isn’t as strong as we believe outside of the crime scene. If his defence wasn’t so ridiculous and the crime scene so obvious, none of it would stand. The hoodie was already inadmissible and the fibres weren’t strong evidence either.

The cctv footage (destroying his alibi) is spoon fed to the mother to reveal. That feels odd as I’m not convinced he’s a known wrongun that you would automatically check up on. Remember we have a peado ring operating not so long ago, apparently many abused kids, four known sex offenders, an island rife with drink and drugs, plus a family of dealers. I don’t see the immediate need to check on his whereabouts. Likewise if the leaked stories are true,why would anyone be his mate, let alone have this amazing social life. He would be the ultimate outsider.

The big one is the two scenes. The guy is a careless monster at the murder scene but a master of stealth at the flat.

There probably is a great explanation for all of this but I wouldn’t be surprised if somewhere down the line it’s revealled he has a more stable accomplice or there’s another secret being kept away from the case.

Still with 50 years of hiding scared in his cell, he’s got time to come up with either the truth or something less stupid to say!

 

[iamnotanumber]

I think let it sit and everything will come out in time. The right guy is spending the next 50 years in jail and he did do the crime.

However...

A lot of contradictions in this case. The evidence isn’t as strong as we believe outside of the crime scene. If his defence wasn’t so ridiculous and the crime scene so obvious, none of it would stand. The hoodie was already inadmissible and the fibres weren’t strong evidence either.

The cctv footage (destroying his alibi) is spoon fed to the mother to reveal. That feels odd as I’m not convinced he’s a known wrongun that you would automatically check up on. Remember we have a peado ring operating not so long ago, apparently many abused kids, four known sex offenders, an island rife with drink and drugs, plus a family of dealers. I don’t see the immediate need to check on his whereabouts. Likewise if the leaked stories are true,why would anyone be his mate, let alone have this amazing social life. He would be the ultimate outsider.

The big one is the two scenes. The guy is a careless monster at the murder scene but a master of stealth at the flat.

There probably is a great explanation for all of this but I wouldn’t be surprised if somewhere down the line it’s revealled he has a more stable accomplice or there’s another secret being kept away from the case.

Still with 50 years of hiding scared in his cell, he’s got time to come up with either the truth or something less stupid to say!

Well put.

 

[Meeky]

I've been broken into also while in bed.

I was woken up though and two guys walked into my bedroom.

I was a single parent at the time, bloody scary.

I didn't hear them break in but sat up when my bedroom door opened thinking my young son had come in!!

Honestly never felt adrenaline or fear like it, couldn't hear a thing except the blood rushing round my head.

I hear you! I had only recently split from my husband when it happened and my son was only 8 months old. The shock when I woke up in the morning (which was my first Mother's Day) was awful. I can't imagine how frightening it must have been for you to wake up to them in your bedroom though!

 

[Pooksthebear]

Does a 16 year old boy need to use a handrail up some stairs anyway??

Unless they were carrying something heavy....

Maybe he already had Alesha and was maybe going down the stairs backwards .. that way if he was caught he could say she was outside and he was bringing her back as it would look like he was on his way up?

 

[TaylorCallum]

What do you think is the minimum sentence he could get? I feel like this judge will not be lenient.

 

[Joolz1975]

Sure, he probably didn't have any DNA in the system but in such a small (island) community he must have been aware of the likelihood that the police would take DNA samples from local males as part of their investigation as they have done in many cases with a similar sized population.

Furthermore, the location of the body was in VERY close proximity to AC's house. In fact, his house was actually the first house you would come to at the end of the road next to which it was found. The police would have been extremely likely to test most males on the northern peninsula of the island.

I'm not doubting any of that but would police have initially tested ALL males or just adult males??

I think it was either total arrogance in that he thought he would never be under suspicion or a total loss of self control.

 

[Mercsw]

Maybe he already had Alesha and was maybe going down the stairs backwards .. that way if he was caught he could say she was outside and he was bringing her back as it would look like he was on his way up?

The palm print was a few inches from the floor and facing upwards. It was like someone had fallen climbing up the stairs. It was the only one they found anywhere in the property. As I said before, if he wasn’t a proven liar and the crime clearly committed by him, it wouldn’t stand up in court.

 

[Cherwell]

Sure, he probably didn't have any DNA in the system but in such a small (island) community he must have been aware of the likelihood that the police would take DNA samples from local males as part of their investigation as they have done in many cases with a similar sized population.

Furthermore, the location of the body was in VERY close proximity to AC's house. In fact, his house was actually the first house you would come to at the end of the road next to which it was found. The police would have been extremely likely to test most males on the northern peninsula of the island.

You know that and I know that, but this is a 16 year old boy who has probably never taken any interest in crime stories, fictional or factual. He didn't have the in-depth knowledge that people here do.

 

[TaylorCallum]

You know that and I know that, but this is a 16 year old boy who has probably never taken any interest in crime stories, fictional or factual. He didn't have the in-depth knowledge that people here do.

His friend said that they shared an in interest in true crime documentaries and discussed it with each other, but I get what you're saying, he was young and probably didn't have great knowledge of it.

 

[Legally Bland]

The risk of just waltzing in on the pretense to kidnap her is not likely, but not impossible depending on the circumstances, how far is the room from the door, is it 2nd floor etc, these circumstance increase risk, they said they left the key in the door, who leaves the key on the outside of the door? So someone had to either answer the door or it was unlocked for him to go inside.

What is the risk if he's caught? Attempted burglary? Trespass?

And we know the door was unlocked .

I may be doing you a disservice, and there are probably more relevant posts to reply to, but the suggestion that TM was somehow involved is wearing really thin for me.

There is no evidence, other than the word of a convicted child killer and rapist that she was involved, and I don't think we should be putting too much stock in that. He's shown he's a manipulative liar.

We may just have to live without knowing exactly how he abducted Alesha without leaving any trace of DNA (but he did leave a palm print). Equally we'll probably never know how he managed not to leave any DNA on the door handles and shower in his own home.

It's dissatisfying when you don't have an exact picture of what happened, I get that, but sometimes that's just how it is.

 

[Cherwell]

His friend said that they shared an in interest in true crime documentaries and discussed it with each other, but I get what you're saying, he was young and probably didn't have great knowledge of it.

Ah, I didn't know that, thanks.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Grassing in an abuser will carry zero stigma.

It's implausible to me too.

He def did something "clever" re the abduction because he boasted about it. He sent a message to a friend didn't he, wonder how she got out of the flat...or something along those lines.

 

[89leanne89]

Silly comment I know but the dirty fecker looks like he's peed himself in that pic of him wearing the clothes !

 

[Noseyjosie]

I'm not doubting any of that but would police have initially tested ALL males or just adult males??

I think it was either total arrogance in that he thought he would never be under suspicion or a total loss of self control.

Or is really just total naivety? Didn't he say "that's a wee bit worrying" when TM's aunt (Amanda?) said the perp 's DNA would be all over Alesha? He maybe then just thought of semen (TMI, sorry!) hence accusing TM, not considering touch traces etc
Didn't his mother say he didn't know what DNA was?

 

[HongKongPhooey]

What is the risk if he's caught? Attempted burglary? Trespass?

And we know the door was unlocked .

I may be doing you a disservice, and there are probably more relevant posts to reply to, but the suggestion that TM was somehow involved is wearing really thin for me.

There is no evidence, other than the word of a convicted child killer and rapist that she was involved, and I don't think we should be putting too much stock in that. He's shown he's a manipulative liar.

We may just have to live without knowing exactly how he abducted Alesha without leaving any trace of DNA (but he did leave a palm print). Equally we'll probably never know how he managed not to leave any DNA on the door handles and shower in his own home.

It's dissatisfying when you don't have an exact picture of what happened, I get that, but sometimes that's just how it is.

It's wearing thin with me too. People aren't referring to proven court evidence to cast shadow on her, which I find uncomfortable. The witness was not sure it was TM and RM arguing, it wasn't said in court that she was up at 2am, no evidence at all of any relations between TM and AC. Leave the girl alone.

 

[kyndigs]

What is the risk if he's caught? Attempted burglary? Trespass?

And we know the door was unlocked .

I may be doing you a disservice, and there are probably more relevant posts to reply to, but the suggestion that TM was somehow involved is wearing really thin for me.

There is no evidence, other than the word of a convicted child killer and rapist that she was involved, and I don't think we should be putting too much stock in that. He's shown he's a manipulative liar.

We may just have to live without knowing exactly how he abducted Alesha without leaving any trace of DNA (but he did leave a palm print). Equally we'll probably never know how he managed not to leave any DNA on the door handles and shower in his own home.

It's dissatisfying when you don't have an exact picture of what happened, I get that, but sometimes that's just how it is.

I don't think she was involved to be honest, I just find it hard to believe he would go inside the actual house to kidnap her, I am sure that was a spur of the moment decision to take her, how he did get her out of the house who knows at this point, I find it more plausible a noise was made maybe it awoke her, perhaps he pushed the door open and she came into the hallway and he lured her from there, but strolling around the house seems unlikely to me, but thats just my opinion.

 

[Joolz1975]

Or is really just total naivety? Didn't he say "that's a wee bit worrying" when TM's aunt (Amanda?) said the perp 's DNA would be all over Alesha? He maybe then just thought of semen (TMI, sorry!) hence accusing TM, not considering touch traces etc
Didn't his mother say he didn't know what DNA was?

Yes that makes sense to me too.

 

[iamnotanumber]

I'm not doubting any of that but would police have initially tested ALL males or just adult males??

I think it was either total arrogance in that he thought he would never be under suspicion or a total loss of self control.

I suspect given the small population the police would have cast their net to include adult males and young males of his age. The island community aspect works in the favour of the police in a way that wouldn't be possible in a large city.

I don't think the carelessness and arrogance aspects fit together. There's no doubt he is arrogant, but from what i've seen and read he clearly considers himself quite smart too - the sheer mess he left at the crime scene doesn't fit with someone who thinks they can get away with murder.

 

[Joolz1975]

It's wearing thin with me too. People aren't referring to proven court evidence to cast shadow on her, which I find uncomfortable. The witness was not sure it was TM and RM arguing, it wasn't said in court that she was up at 2am, no evidence at all of any relations between TM and AC. Leave the girl alone.

I agree.

He's been found guilty and there is nothing that points to TM been involved (even if they did have a fling prior and I'm not saying they did, that still doesn't implicate her in anyway)

If there is a shred of truth to anything to do with TM then now is his chance to come clean and tell the whole story rather than just deny his involvement and fabricate a load of old bull.

But I suspect he won't, because there is nothing more to it than he's guilty.

 

[iamnotanumber]

It's wearing thin with me too. People aren't referring to proven court evidence to cast shadow on her, which I find uncomfortable. The witness was not sure it was TM and RM arguing, it wasn't said in court that she was up at 2am, no evidence at all of any relations between TM and AC. Leave the girl alone.

I think your point about evidence is absolutely correct, however, given a lot of the supporting evidence in the case against AC was circumstantial i don't think it is particularly untoward for people to have certain views that are a result of joining the dots.

There are a number of aspects that could indicate a relationship of sorts between TM and AC. There's a clear familiarity between them - on one side you have the drug dealing, on the other you have TM's aunt being a friend of AC's mother. AC clearly knew RM and it wouldn't be too far fetched to assume he may have had a soft spot for her, or more, given what he knew about RM. Furthermore, the evidence given by the neighbour regarding TM and RM is interesting - if there was domestic violence going on, TM sticking around (and the fact they had previously been together, split, and got back together) suggests an aspect of co-dependency. This would make her vulnerable to attention from others, ie AC, depending on the context.

Lastly, it may not have been common knowledge for a variety of reasons. Their method of communciation (via Instagram) isn't that far fetched - communicate and delete, communicate and delete, in order to avoid raising suspicion.