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

[Sleuthdolf]

This is my thought. That he went there to get drugs and when he arrived found her, either downstairs (on the main floor of the flat rather than up in her bedroom) or perhaps even in the stairwell. I've not seen the property specifically but i've lived in a cottage flat and the door to the property is at the bottom of the stairs. There was no door at the top in mine, it was the bottom door, stairs up into an open hallway with all other rooms leading off. The rail for a stair lift is usually against the skirting, a mere 8-10 inches from the treads, palm prints on it would indicate he was crawling up the stairs (quietly?). It makes no sense to me that they'd have a stairlift fitted to a bit of property effectively "outside" their home. I think he probably let himself in, crept up the stairs, found Alesha and decided on the spur of the moment to take her.

How does the CCTV of him first leaving tie up with the phonecalls to TM and Alesha's dad? Could he have been trying to call them to say he had Alesha already? Her clean feet would suggest she didn't leave the actual building herself, but she could easily have been on the stairs or at the top of them, she was known to sleepwalk. Perhaps he initially took her as a bargaining chip for drugs, but when he got no reply changed his mind?

Plausible. I think he went there with the intention of taking drugs, possibly saw Alesha sleepwalking and carried her off. Clearly he had a disturbed mind already and this an opportunistic act, only done by a sadist. I've seen people sleepwalk and it takes them a while to come to their senses when roused.

Also on further points a couple made, the accused if not friends with TM and/or RM on Facebook, would have seen posts possibly with posts such as "Can't wait for my baby girl to stay over". Pictures of her in the house, maybe in the bedroom. He could well have seen this on the night and saw an opportunity.

I'm not sure. Never has a crime invested me so much. I think he is 100% guilty but based on the court updates the defence could well dismiss the evidence with other possibilities.

Sorry if i'm rambling.

 

[angeldust]

Anyone else shocked at the prosecution and police work. My kids could find out more on the phone than their experts The Nike zipper could be that fibre that doesn't easily transfer too. I believe be him to be 100% guilty but I often wonder wtf when police present evidence your phone is basically a tracking device. I'm gobsmacked re no tracking info Also if he hadn't done anything why would he look up DNA evidence. If I wasn't there I wouldn't be worrying about it

 

[mrazda71]

Plausible. I think he went there with the intention of taking drugs, possibly saw Alesha sleepwalking and carried her off. Clearly he had a disturbed mind already and this an opportunistic act, only done by a sadist. I've seen people sleepwalk and it takes them a while to come to their senses when roused.

Also on further points a couple made, the accused if not friends with TM and/or RM on Facebook, would have seen posts possibly with posts such as "Can't wait for my baby girl to stay over". Pictures of her in the house, maybe in the bedroom. He could well have seen this on the night and saw an opportunity.

I'm not sure. Never has a crime invested me so much. I think he is 100% guilty but based on the court updates the defence could well dismiss the evidence with other possibilities.

Sorry if i'm rambling.

Welcome @Sleuthdolf .. no apologies needed!

Think it's safe to say we're all invested in justice for Alesha and her family.

 

[mrazda71]

Anyone else shocked at the prosecution and police work. My kids could find out more on the phone than their experts The Nike zipper could be that fibre that doesn't easily transfer too. I believe be him to be 100% guilty but I often wonder wtf when police present evidence your phone is basically a tracking device. I'm gobsmacked re no tracking info Also if he hadn't done anything why would he look up DNA evidence. If I wasn't there I wouldn't be worrying about it

The phone evidence was an 89 page report ... we've only heard a snippet

 

[Deufin]

Re the lack of tracking evidence on his iPhone, I find that surprising too.

However, are we sure he took his phone with him on any of his trips? I can’t remember if it’s been mentioned, or if some of his phone activity suggests he must have.

 

[Gardenista]

Anyone else shocked at the prosecution and police work. My kids could find out more on the phone than their experts The Nike zipper could be that fibre that doesn't easily transfer too. I believe be him to be 100% guilty but I often wonder wtf when police present evidence your phone is basically a tracking device. I'm gobsmacked re no tracking info Also if he hadn't done anything why would he look up DNA evidence. If I wasn't there I wouldn't be worrying about it

Hoping phone evidence comes tomorrow.

 

[angeldust]

The phone evidence was an 89 page report ... we've only heard a snippet

True however they swiftly moved on to another expert so I'm thinking no tracking or we would have heard :/. I hope I'm wrong

 

[Gardenista]

True however they swiftly moved on to another expert so I'm thinking no tracking or we would have heard :/

Cellphone tower experts maybe are different than those who discuss texts?

 

[Taskforce88]

Hoping phone evidence comes tomorrow.

The phone evidence was today, tomorrow there is only 1 witness for the prosecution and that will hopefully be DNA from the scene and his bathroom.

 

[Slucie]

Hi, newbie here and long term lurker. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a lot we are not being told is happening in court room. I’m confused about the accused clothing. His mother said the clothing found looked like his but she also said he left everything at his backside in bathroom. Why hasn’t the prosecution asked to see the clothing he claims to be wearing if the items found he says aren’t his?

 

[Alyce]

This is my thought. That he went there to get drugs and when he arrived found her, either downstairs (on the main floor of the flat rather than up in her bedroom) or perhaps even in the stairwell. I've not seen the property specifically but i've lived in a cottage flat and the door to the property is at the bottom of the stairs. There was no door at the top in mine, it was the bottom door, stairs up into an open hallway with all other rooms leading off. The rail for a stair lift is usually against the skirting, a mere 8-10 inches from the treads, palm prints on it would indicate he was crawling up the stairs (quietly?). It makes no sense to me that they'd have a stairlift fitted to a bit of property effectively "outside" their home. I think he probably let himself in, crept up the stairs, found Alesha and decided on the spur of the moment to take her.

How does the CCTV of him first leaving tie up with the phonecalls to TM and Alesha's dad? Could he have been trying to call them to say he had Alesha already? Her clean feet would suggest she didn't leave the actual building herself, but she could easily have been on the stairs or at the top of them, she was known to sleepwalk. Perhaps he initially took her as a bargaining chip for drugs, but when he got no reply changed his mind?

Here's the timeline, taken from testimony last week.

Updated timeline

10.30pm to 11.00pm Alesha put to bed by RM, with Peppa Pig dvd

Unspecified time - but has to be later than RM putting Alesha to bed -
TM goes to bathroom, then goes to Alesha room, switches off dvd, closes bedroom door fully

12 midnight or just after : grandmother hears Alesha call out for Peppa Pig


12.22 am : Suspect and mother have argument at suspect's home

12.30 am : Suspect's friends leave his house, suspect's 14 yr old sister accompanies them

01.39 am Suspect texts or Facebook call to RM

01.47 am Suspect / or his sister / or suspect using sisters Facebook account - calls TM

01.54 am Suspect leaves his home, wearing jog pants, trainers , hoodie. Walks in direction of Rothesay which means he would go past the McPhail home

02.26 am cctv ( Mr McLachlan home ) spots figure coming out of the shelter and walong along the shore line - with something on their back. When later asked, Mr McL says he presumed it was somebody carrying a child.

02.27 am - cctv footage from home of Shari Strathie, who lives 2 doors down from Mr McLachlan.Footage shows movement along the shoreline. She says to her, it looks like a figure walking past her house carrying another person.“You can see the legs hanging down and moving” she says.

03.35 am Suspect returns to his home - from a different direction - accesses his house by jumping over back wall. Does not have hoodie with him.

03.35 to 03.44 am. suspect mother hears boiler switching on.

03.44 am bathroom light is switched on.

03.45 am suspect leaves his home, wearing only shorts , no shoes, carrying what appears to be a black tee shirt

03.52 am suspect returns home

03.58 am suspect leaves home, fully clothed, running, with a torch

04.07 am suspect returns home, now walking

 

[Truthseeker777]

Re the lack of tracking evidence on his iPhone, I find that surprising too.

However, are we sure he took his phone with him on any of his trips? I can’t remember if it’s been mentioned, or if some of his phone activity suggests he must have.

An 89 page report and very little damning evidence has been relayed to us so far.

Also, the girl who found the black nike top said it looked "fresh"...could it have been washed before being dumped?

 

[neteditor]

Hi, newbie here and long term lurker. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a lot we are not being told is happening in court room. I’m confused about the accused clothing. His mother said the clothing found looked like his but she also said he left everything at his backside in bathroom. Why hasn’t the prosecution asked to see the clothing he claims to be wearing if the items found he says aren’t his?

Welcome

As a former court reporter I can say it is certain we are not hearing everything. Journos only pick out the juiciest stuff.

 

[Gardenista]

Cellphone tower experts maybe are different than those who discuss texts?

Quoting myself, but if cell phone location data doesn't favor the prosecution, maybe they will be witnesses for the defense? Ugh.

 

[angeldust]

Cellphone tower experts maybe are different than those who discuss texts?

I truly hope so but I saw this pan out in the casey Anthony case and wondered how they missed so much during forensics. Info was there just not used Maybe the courts should employ teens re phones

 

[angeldust]

Welcome

As a former court reporter I can say it is certain we are not hearing everything. Journos only pick out the juiciest stuff.

Id say tracking was juicy if it was said. I'm not confident about this at all at the moment pity your not there lol we might have more info

 

[Alyce]

Plausible. I think he went there with the intention of taking drugs, possibly saw Alesha sleepwalking and carried her off. Clearly he had a disturbed mind already and this an opportunistic act, only done by a sadist. I've seen people sleepwalk and it takes them a while to come to their senses when roused.

Also on further points a couple made, the accused if not friends with TM and/or RM on Facebook, would have seen posts possibly with posts such as "Can't wait for my baby girl to stay over". Pictures of her in the house, maybe in the bedroom. He could well have seen this on the night and saw an opportunity.

I'm not sure. Never has a crime invested me so much. I think he is 100% guilty but based on the court updates the defence could well dismiss the evidence with other possibilities.

Sorry if i'm rambling.

Hi and Welcome...

very good point re the sleepwalking - could also explain why Alesha made little resistance to being carried out of and away from the flat.. ....
Mr McLachlan's evidence from the shore road cctv, says that he thought the shadowy figure was carrying a child, but there is no comment about seeing any kind of struggle or active movement of the child's body...which would match with Alesha being in some state of sleep

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Have to say, I'm not seeing much in the way of absolute evidence yet - what does anyone else think?

Joggers and boxers - maybe if his dna is recovered from waistband or something? Otherwise not much proof they are his

No proof he was in the flat at that time

No proof, if that Nike top is his, that it came into contact with Alesha

No positive Id from cctv of him carrying child

No mention of blood found in his home (is that line done now, or could there be more to come?)

No mention of the little one's blood on his clothing

I am seriously hoping that the dna evidence is cut and dried!

 

[Alyce]

Re the lack of tracking evidence on his iPhone, I find that surprising too.

However, are we sure he took his phone with him on any of his trips? I can’t remember if it’s been mentioned, or if some of his phone activity suggests he must have.

I'd be astonished if he didn't. Whatever his plans were, am sure a phone would have assisted in some way.

But you are correct, we have not specifically been told whether or not he had a phone with him.

 

[Edinlass]

Vest, pants and shorts is pretty typical nightwear for a young girl in the summer I’d say.

My daughter wears a vest and shorts or a nightdress for bed, especially in the summer. Even in the winter she doesn’t feel comfortable in long sleeves and trousers.