UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -teen arrested

[Alyce]

There are two flats the upper one where the MacPhails & (Rab McPhail's girlfriend on occasion) stayed & the ground floor flat.
The entrance to the ground floor flat is the front door of the building.
Entry to the top floor flat is achieved by a stair tower at the rear

just bringing forward this very helpful post by Hedgehog from last July

 

[Taskforce88]

Ms McLachlan denied being jealous of Alesha due to the time and attention she got from Mr Robert MacPhail and denied saying the child’s death was “for the best”.

Ms McLachlan told the court she ‘had a bad feeling’ when the accused had phoned on the morning of Alesha’s disappearance, and told a friend of her concerns.

Under cross-examination by defence brief Brian McConnachie, Ms McLachlan said she received messages all morning from people claiming the accused was responsible.

Ms McLachlan said: “Yes, I did but I didn’t think anything after he said he didn’t think she would have gone far.”

She agreed that she told a friend, Lindsay Calderwood, ‘I’ve got a bad feeling’.

First policeman at scene cries describing Alesha MacPhail's 'bruised' body

So where did "it's for the best" come from?

 

[LittleMystery]

Peter A Smith on Twitter Journalist for ITV News and verified account.

Court hears Alesha’s dad’s girlfriend tried to call the 16 yr-old back at 6.29am but no answer.

The 16 yr-old accused then messaged her at 9.01am saying, “doesn’t matter ”

Court has heard before that the 16 yr-old accused had also tried to contact Alesha’s dad that night.

This one gives a little more detail about the communication between TM and the accused in the morning Alesha disappeared.

 

[neteditor]

Forgive me for harking back a bit, regarding not calling Alesha by her name in the message.

I think it's very common (and other Scots here please contradict me if I'm wrong) to not refer to children by their name. We say "the bairn", "the wean", "the wee lass" etc all the time. I don't think anything can be read into TM not using her name.

 

[Taskforce88]

I agree I might have been reading into it a bit much but the lack of a name could indicate that the accused didn't really know the girl well, so no point in using her name. So going back to a stranger entering Alesha's room, was it the accused that entered or someone she knew?

 

[HayLouise]

Photo added to this:

14:28

Girlfriend of Alesha MacPhail's dad denies 'brutalising' girl with 'implement'

Toni-Louise McLachlan, 18, denied murdering Alesha MacPhail and ‘planting the accused’s semen as evidence’ during the second day of evidence at the Glasgow’s High Court.

Ms McLachlan was called as a witness at the trial of a 16-year-old boy who has blamed her for murdering six-year-old Alesha on the Isle of Bute on July 2 last year.

While giving evidence, the girlfriend of Alesha’s father Robert MacPhail continuously denied she had anything to do with the girl’s disappearance and murder.

The series of events was put to her by defence, Brian McConnachie, who said she had “brutalised” the little girl using an “implement.”

The brief claimed that Ms McLachlan met the accused in secret the night before Alesha disappeared, and confided in the teen about alleged abuse from Mr MacPhail.

He said the pair had walked into a shed where they used a condom provided by Ms McLachlan, and the accused gave her a hoodie because she was cold.

The accused said that was the last time he had seen Ms McLachlan before Alesha was killed, the court heard.

Mr McConnachie accused Ms McLachlan of taking Alesha to the site of an abandoned hotel where the child was murdered and “brutalised” with an “implement”.

He then said the 18-year-old had “planted” the condom with the accused’s semen to implicate him.

Ms McLachlan said: “No.”

When asked by the accused’s brief how it felt to be accused of murder, Ms McLachlan said: “Horrible. “I don’t know how to take it. I’m sad, I’m angry, I’m full of emotions.”

Alesha’s mother covered her face in the public gallery when the question was asked and left the courtroom when her daughter’s injuries were mentioned.

Alesha MacPhail's dad's girlfriend denies planting accused's semen

bbm

First policeman at scene cries describing Alesha MacPhail's 'bruised' body

 

[mrazda71]

I've got a feeling ... that the reason Alesha didn't scream is because she couldn't.

I think he went into her room and while she slept, he immediately suffocated her to the point of being unconscious (if not dead) and quietly carried her out ...

I seem to recall it being said at the time that there was CCTV from a neighbour of him carrying Alesha whilst walking ...

 

[mrazda71]

Quick Google...

Weed games ... smoking games

The 21 Best Weed Games Ever - Honest Marijuana

Games to play while getting stoned it seems ... like party games almost

 

[neteditor]

I agree I might have been reading into it a bit much but the lack of a name could indicate that the accused didn't really know the girl well, so no point in using her name. So going back to a stranger entering Alesha's room, was it the accused that entered or someone she knew?

On that latter point, I think it's probably fairly unlikely that Alesha didn't know the accused to some degree. It's a tiny place where most people know each other, plus he obviously knew her father. Whether she'd know him well enough not to kick up a fuss if he came into her room in the wee hours, I couldn't guess. I have some other thoughts but they are wild speculation I will keep them to myself.

 

[LittleMystery]

Quick Google...

Weed games ... smoking games

The 21 Best Weed Games Ever - Honest Marijuana

Games to play while getting stoned it seems ... like party games almost

Thank you!

Imagine if anyone was ever privy to our search history

 

[neteditor]

I've got a feeling ... that the reason Alesha didn't scream is because she couldn't.

I think he went into her room and while she slept, he immediately suffocated her to the point of being unconscious (if not dead) and quietly carried her out ...

I seem to recall it being said at the time that there was CCTV from a neighbour of him carrying Alesha whilst walking ...

Well since you've voiced my "wild speculation" I shall concur. This is what I have thought too.

BBM

 

[Ironside]

Forgive me for harking back a bit, regarding not calling Alesha by her name in the message.

I think it's very common (and other Scots here please contradict me if I'm wrong) to not refer to children by their name. We say "the bairn", "the wean", "the wee lass" etc all the time. I don't think anything can be read into TM not using her name.

Agree with this. We had an English client in his 20's in our office the other day. Within 5 minutes everyone referred to him as "the boy", even to his face.

 

[neteditor]

Thank you!

Imagine if anyone was ever privy to our search history

OT - I edit crime thrillers. I hope I'm never suspected of a crime, I'd be convicted on the spot!

 

[Alyce]

A bit more detail from today - wonder if they found the dealer ?

BIBS are mine


The mother of the boy accused of abducting and murdering Alesha contacted police after the child's body was found.

DC Gavin McKellar told the court that the teenage boy voluntarily spoke to officers at around 1am on July 3 at his home.

The boy's mother had been drinking when she phoned Rothesay police station in the early hours of the morning after Alesha's body was discovered.
She told officers her son had been out of the house in the early hours of July 2, which was captured on CCTV.
The accused was described as 'confident' and 'very co-operative' by Detective Constable McKellar, and asked his mum to leave the room while he spoke to officers.

In a statement given to police, as a witness, the boy said he left his house in the middle of the night to buy cannabis resin and took a shower after returning home as he was 'really stoned'.
He said he realised he had lost his phone, so went back out.

He concluded the statement telling officers he did not go to the MacPhail family home, and said if they didn't believe him 'they could have my DNA'.
At the time no mention was made of Ms McLachlan or having sex with a girl the evening before Alesha vanished.

The boy said he had contacted Mr MacPhail and four or five other people he knew who sold cannabis to see if he could get any, and left the house on Ardbeg Road at about 2am.

He said he knew Mr MacPhail was in a relationship with Ms McLachlan but claimed he had never met Alesha, although he knew his dealer had a little girl.
The accused said he walked through Skeoch Wood, between Rothesay and Ardbeg, to avoid police, and walked past the site of an abandoned school before heading to meet a dealer where he bought 'pollen' for £30.

Girlfriend of Alesha McPhail's father gives evidence in murder case | Daily Mail Online

 

[Alyce]

A police officer, PC David Grant, recalled being called to the MacPhail household after Alesha was found to be missing.
He described the child's grandmother, Angela King, as being 'panicked' and blaming herself for leaving the key in the door.
And he recalled being met by Alesha's father, Mr MacPhail, and his girlfriend, who was 'very concerned and was crying.'

PC Grant said Mr MacPhail appeared to be 'in a daze' and was not responding fully to what he was saying, which he believed was as a result of concern for Alesha.

After the child's body was found around 9am, the officer was told about a knife being found on a beach opposite the MacPhail family home, near a bus shelter.
A large kitchen knife with a black handle and a grey oval inset was shown to the jury on screens in the courtroom.

Girlfriend of Alesha McPhail's father gives evidence in murder case | Daily Mail Online

 

[Alyce]

Linking this because of the map, nothing new in the actual report

Girlfriend of Alesha MacPhail's dad denies having sex with murder accused

 

[Taskforce88]

So far there is no indication there was a major falling out between the accused and the father who was dealing with cannabis. The only argument I have heard of is the claim from a witness, a neighbour, stating the father and girlfriend were aguing outside. This had been denied. The accused claims he didn't know Alesha, possibly had never been in the house since deals were conducted outside but knew exactly where to go without getting noticed? Goes into the house with a knife and for whatever reason abducts Alesha. It's been confirmed that the key was left in the door? That is interesting, having lived in the Hebrides I have left doors unlocked but not with the key in the lock unless that was incorrect?

 

[Nikynoo]

how can people possibly know that the accused was responsible....am I missing something?

and more importantly why did they think he was responsible?

 

[Joannieanderson]

and more importantly why did they think he was responsible?

Exactly, possible previous conversation??

 

[neteditor]

and more importantly why did they think he was responsible?

Tongues wag in small places. Perhaps he's known to be a "wrong 'un". I know when I lived in a much larger (but still small) town in the Borders there were one or two young lads known to be unsafe around younger children. We shouldn't have known, but that's small towns for you.