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

[TaylorCallum]

That ZH is definately a sick individual but, although AC did associate with her, there is no saying that he approved of her actions. He was forced to know her ( to some extent) while other people are willing to have their kids around her when they don't need to.

I do agree with your statement here and I've found some of your other points very interesting as I think there are some oddities in this case and definitely some questions I would like to be answered. However, I very much believe he did it as I think the evidence against him is strong and I've not seen another viable suspect. But I do wonder what you think happened and who you think might be responsible if not Aaron? Do you think he was involved at all? Or do you think it was a complete set-up? There are a lot of things to mull over in this case for sure.

 

[Eezer Goode]

I do agree with your statement here and I've found some of your other points very interesting as I think there are some oddities in this case and definitely some questions I would like to be answered. However, I very much believe he did it as I think the evidence against him is strong and I've not seen another viable suspect. But I do wonder what you think happened and who you think might be responsible if not Aaron? Do you think he was involved at all? Or do you think it was a complete set-up? There are a lot of things to mull over in this case for sure.

I'm not sure i'm allowed to post anything that doesn't follow the narrative but in all honesty i don't think he was involved at all. I think he was set up. Of course i'm not ruling out the fact that he had some involvement, but the story doesn't add up in any way at all.

The only evidence that condemns AC is the DNA evidence but even this is shrouded in mystery and full of oddities.

I could imagine many scenarios as to what happened and who could be involved. None of them may be correct and i certainly wouldn't want to accuse specific people without concrete evidence. Suffice to say, there are quite a few characters mentioned in relation to this case that require further scrutiny for various reasons. The main character, AC, has been scrutinised as much as any convicted rapist/peadophile/murderer but none of the so called evidence has any kind of consistency to it and seems more like wishful thinking and half baked rumours and assumptions to me.

I completely respect anyone's point of view on this but my way of thinking is borne out of a total lack of trust in the police, the courts, the media and the political class. They are infiltrated at every level by the worst kind of people and if they have a story to spin they will spin it. We are obliged to concur but if not, who cares? Not everyone is involved but it is naiive to assume that a major case like this could not have a patsy set up to take the fall without an eyebrow being raised. Happens all the time.

 

[Crestnut]

I'm not sure i'm allowed to post anything that doesn't follow the narrative but in all honesty i don't think he was involved at all. I think he was set up. Of course i'm not ruling out the fact that he had some involvement, but the story doesn't add up in any way at all.

The only evidence that condemns AC is the DNA evidence but even this is shrouded in mystery and full of oddities.

I could imagine many scenarios as to what happened and who could be involved. None of them may be correct and i certainly wouldn't want to accuse specific people without concrete evidence. Suffice to say, there are quite a few characters mentioned in relation to this case that require further scrutiny for various reasons. The main character, AC, has been scrutinised as much as any convicted rapist/peadophile/murderer but none of the so called evidence has any kind of consistency to it and seems more like wishful thinking and half baked rumours and assumptions to me.

I completely respect anyone's point of view on this but my way of thinking is borne out of a total lack of trust in the police, the courts, the media and the political class. They are infiltrated at every level by the worst kind of people and if they have a story to spin they will spin it. We are obliged to concur but if not, who cares? Not everyone is involved but it is naiive to assume that a major case like this could not have a patsy set up to take the fall without an eyebrow being raised. Happens all the time.

I think i am on same wavelength as yourself. I also believe there will be quite a few appeals made re the verdict then sentencing

 

[Ruben71]

I'm not sure i'm allowed to post anything that doesn't follow the narrative but in all honesty i don't think he was involved at all. I think he was set up. Of course i'm not ruling out the fact that he had some involvement, but the story doesn't add up in any way at all.

The only evidence that condemns AC is the DNA evidence but even this is shrouded in mystery and full of oddities.

I could imagine many scenarios as to what happened and who could be involved. None of them may be correct and i certainly wouldn't want to accuse specific people without concrete evidence. Suffice to say, there are quite a few characters mentioned in relation to this case that require further scrutiny for various reasons. The main character, AC, has been scrutinised as much as any convicted rapist/peadophile/murderer but none of the so called evidence has any kind of consistency to it and seems more like wishful thinking and half baked rumours and assumptions to me.

I completely respect anyone's point of view on this but my way of thinking is borne out of a total lack of trust in the police, the courts, the media and the political class. They are infiltrated at every level by the worst kind of people and if they have a story to spin they will spin it. We are obliged to concur but if not, who cares? Not everyone is involved but it is naiive to assume that a major case like this could not have a patsy set up to take the fall without an eyebrow being raised. Happens all the time.

With respect I just feel this is too much of a conspiracy theory you're hinting at. I just don't see how they could so skillfully have set him up if it was actually someone else that did this. He was crying and threatening to self harm that night, then he's seen going out of his house 3 times with different clothing on etc and with a torch. His DNA all over the body, CCTV of someone carrying a person down by the shore. All the times add up in terms of the CCTV footage. If this was a set up then I just don't see how they could possibly make it so perfectly look like it was AC....sorry.

 

[Alyce]

I think i am on same wavelength as yourself. I also believe there will be quite a few appeals made re the verdict then sentencing

What do you think the defence might put forward to appeal the sentence ?

ETA. Note to self, have coffee before posting....I meant the verdict ...I can easily see how they can appeal the sentence...

 

[Edinlass]

With respect I just feel this is too much of a conspiracy theory you're hinting at. I just don't see how they could so skillfully have set him up if it was actually someone else that did this. He was crying and threatening to self harm that night, then he's seen going out of his house 3 times with different clothing on etc and with a torch. His DNA all over the body, CCTV of someone carrying a person down by the shore. All the times add up in terms of the CCTV footage. If this was a set up then I just don't see how they could possibly make it so perfectly look like it was AC....sorry.

I agree. And don’t be sorry for having an opinion. Far too much evidence leaning toward AC for it not to have been him IMO. Top that with a jury of 15 whom sat through 2 weeks of harrowing evidence to come to their final conclusion, a unanimous one.

 

[Eezer Goode]

With respect I just feel this is too much of a conspiracy theory you're hinting at.

No problem i can completely see where you're coming from.

I just don't see how they could so skillfully have set him up if it was actually someone else that did this.

I don't see it as a skillful set up either as, to my mind, there are holes all over the place but it requires a very cynical mind to perceive things that way i agree.

He was crying and threatening to self harm that night

This could be down to teenage angst and is not too uncommon i would say. Also, his friend testified that after a while he had pulled himself together and said he was fine. I'm not sure any of this correlates to what supposedly happened later.

then he's seen going out of his house 3 times with different clothing on etc and with a torch.

He does explain this but, i agree, going in and out of the house at such a time may cause suspicion. He doesn't look like he had just committed an horrific crime though. If he wasn't going out to dispose of evidence, hide the body or retrieve the knife then i don't know exactly what he was meant to be doing.
Also, it doesn't rule out the fact that he was going out to, for example, help somebody else involved with the murder if one wants to go down that road.

His DNA all over the body,

It's easy to say this but exactly what DNA? Was his sperm all over her body or his hair or his saliva? This has not been made clear but it seems from best guess that they are hinting at his sperm is all over her. How did this come to pass? If the dna on her neck and face was sperm then that is, imo, more likely to come from someone using, say, a condom full of sperm and smearing it around and inside the privates. The residue from such an act would remain on the perps hands and be transferred to the rest of the body during the remainder of the crime.

AM's DNA was not over any of AC's clothes or in his bathroom where he went immediately after the crime. There was none of the usual tell tale signs like AC's skin under AM's finger nails either, for example.

CCTV of someone carrying a person down by the shore.

Nobody has ever confirmed that the image showed anyone carrying a child, just that they were carrying something.

Nobody has ever confirmed that the CCTV is of AC.

Nobody has ever confirmed whether it was a man or a woman on the CCTV.

On the one hand AC is so cunning and clever that he chooses his routes carefully to avoid CCTV and other people. On the other hand, he walks right past the CCTV of members of his victim's family. While on the beach he leaves a knife there right opposite his victims house. Some posters have argued that this was done intentionally as he didn't think anyone would trace the knife to him and that he would be able to talk his way out of it anyway so it was good to leave there as a kind of calling card to further cause pain on the family. Not sure i agree with that though, sounds a bit like clutching at straws. He should have lobbed that thing for miles.

 

[Eezer Goode]

I'm not sure Ruben 71 was apologising for having a different opinion or,

I agree. And don’t be sorry for having an opinion.

I'm not sure Ruben 71 was apologising for having a different opinion or,indeed, apologising at all in the way you seem to think. I thought he was just expressing his thoughts in a conversational type way but maybe you can correct me/him if you like.

Top that with a jury of 15 whom sat through 2 weeks of harrowing evidence to come to their final conclusion, a unanimous one.

In your opinion, has anybody ever been falsely convicted by a unanimous jury or is that out of the question?

 

[Kikixxxx]

No problem i can completely see where you're coming from.



I don't see it as a skillful set up either as, to my mind, there are holes all over the place but it requires a very cynical mind to perceive things that way i agree.



This could be down to teenage angst and is not too uncommon i would say. Also, his friend testified that after a while he had pulled himself together and said he was fine. I'm not sure any of this correlates to what supposedly happened later.




He does explain this but, i agree, going in and out of the house at such a time may cause suspicion. He doesn't look like he had just committed an horrific crime though. If he wasn't going out to dispose of evidence, hide the body or retrieve the knife then i don't know exactly what he was meant to be doing.
Also, it doesn't rule out the fact that he was going out to, for example, help somebody else involved with the murder if one wants to go down that road.



It's easy to say this but exactly what DNA? Was his sperm all over her body or his hair or his saliva? This has not been made clear but it seems from best guess that they are hinting at his sperm is all over her. How did this come to pass? If the dna on her neck and face was sperm then that is, imo, more likely to come from someone using, say, a condom full of sperm and smearing it around and inside the privates. The residue from such an act would remain on the perps hands and be transferred to the rest of the body during the remainder of the crime.

AM's DNA was not over any of AC's clothes or in his bathroom where he went immediately after the crime. There was none of the usual tell tale signs like AC's skin under AM's finger nails either, for example.



Nobody has ever confirmed that the image showed anyone carrying a child, just that they were carrying something.

Nobody has ever confirmed that the CCTV is of AC.

Nobody has ever confirmed whether it was a man or a woman on the CCTV.

On the one hand AC is so cunning and clever that he chooses his routes carefully to avoid CCTV and other people. On the other hand, he walks right past the CCTV of members of his victim's family. While on the beach he leaves a knife there right opposite his victims house. Some posters have argued that this was done intentionally as he didn't think anyone would trace the knife to him and that he would be able to talk his way out of it anyway so it was good to leave there as a kind of calling card to further cause pain on the family. Not sure i agree with that though, sounds a bit like clutching at straws. He should have lobbed that thing for miles.

They said they couldn’t determine what DNA was found on her neck, face, legs, and wrists, but they were able to say the DNA on her genitals was semen, so I’m sure if it was semen found on the other areas they would of been able to tell, so that implys it wasn’t I think.

 

[Eezer Goode]

They said they couldn’t determine what DNA was found on her neck, face, legs, and wrists.

This is the kind of evidence that nobody questions but i find it astonishing that they couldn't determine what DNA. It has to be blood, saliva, semen, hair or dead skin. I am not a DNA expert but would imagine all of the above are very identifiable through a microscope used by a well trained coroner/expert. It's not as if the body had been there long.

but they were able to say the DNA on her genitals was semen, so I’m sure if it was semen found on the other areas they would of been able to tell, so that implys it wasn’t I think.

Your logic is sound, for sure, but please see the above reply,

 

[Edinlass]

I'm not sure Ruben 71 was apologising for having a different opinion or,indeed, apologising at all in the way you seem to think. I thought he was just expressing his thoughts in a conversational type way but maybe you can correct me/him if you like.



In your opinion, has anybody ever been falsely convicted by a unanimous jury or is that out of the question?

Yes, apologising for not agreeing with you on how it is possible that AC could have been set up, therefore I stressed that he need not apologise for having this opinion.

As we are only discussing this case on this thread it makes absolutely no odds how any other case went and the ifs and buts of innocence or wrong convictions, I believe the right person has been found guilty here. I think it is rude to imply a jury of 15 people of the community ‘wrongly’ convicted an innocent 16 year old of this crime with all the evidence presented to them (not us) along with the actions of a judge whom subsequently named him. We all love a conspiracy theory but I genuinely believe there isn’t one to be found here.

Again all my opinion, and you are entitled to yours.

 

[Rhenish]

Open Thread - Cheers!

Justice for Alesha.

I am hoping that the court sentences this killer to the maximum allowed and grants the MacPhail family their wish of wanting Aaron jailed for a long time for what he did to their family. Judge Lord Matthews told Aaron Campbell to his face that this was one of the "wickedness, most evil crimes" ever heard at that court. That is a Profound statement coming from a Judge that has likely presided over dozens upon dozens of horrible and disturbing cases.

I vehemently believe without a single doubt that there was one and only one killer that committed murderous and depraved atrocities on beautiful and innocent little Alesha, and his name is Aaron Thomas Campbell. The evidence is solid and overwhelmingly points to Aaron Campbell as being the sole perpetrator, beyond any stretch of imagination and certainly beyond any doubt. It is crystal clear to me, as it is to most, and as demonstrated by the juries swift and unanimous guilty verdict, as well as Aaron's lack of any viable or truthful defense, that nobody else - in any way shape or form - had any hand in Alesha's horrible an untimely demise.

It is clear that he alone, all alone, crafted this devious crime and carried out the act. For that he should pay and pay big and pay for the rest of his life.

 

[Bampot]

Open Thread - Cheers!

Justice for Alesha.

I am hoping that the court sentences this killer to the maximum allowed and grants the MacPhail family their wish of wanting Aaron jailed for a long time for what he did to their family. Judge Lord Matthews told Aaron Campbell to his face that this was one of the "wickedness, most evil crimes" ever heard at that court. That is a Profound statement coming from a Judge that has likely presided over dozens upon dozens of horrible and disturbing cases.

I vehemently believe without a single doubt that there was one and only one killer that committed murderous and depraved atrocities on beautiful and innocent little Alesha, and his name is Aaron Thomas Campbell. The evidence is solid and overwhelmingly points to Aaron Campbell as being the sole perpetrator, beyond any stretch of imagination and certainly beyond any doubt. It is crystal clear to me, as it is to most, and as demonstrated by juries swift and unanimous guilty verdict, as well as Aaron's lack of any viable or truthful defense.

It is clear that he alone, all alone, crafted this devious crime and carried out the act. For that he should pay and pay big and pay for the rest of his life.

Hear hear. Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

[Alyce]

Just curious and genuine question...for those who think AC is not guilty, then who do you think committed the crime ?

And if AC was used as a fall guy, then why would he not implicate the other Guilty party or parties in his defence ...after all, he would have nothing to lose

 

[Edinlass]

Open Thread - Cheers!

Justice for Alesha.

I am hoping that the court sentences this killer to the maximum allowed and grants the MacPhail family their wish of wanting Aaron jailed for a long time for what he did to their family. Judge Lord Matthews told Aaron Campbell to his face that this was one of the "wickedness, most evil crimes" ever heard at that court. That is a Profound statement coming from a Judge that has likely presided over dozens upon dozens of horrible and disturbing cases.

I vehemently believe without a single doubt that there was one and only one killer that committed murderous and depraved atrocities on beautiful and innocent little Alesha, and his name is Aaron Thomas Campbell. The evidence is solid and overwhelmingly points to Aaron Campbell as being the sole perpetrator, beyond any stretch of imagination and certainly beyond any doubt. It is crystal clear to me, as it is to most, and as demonstrated by the juries swift and unanimous guilty verdict, as well as Aaron's lack of any viable or truthful defense, that nobody else - in any way shape or form - had any hand in Alesha's horrible an untimely demise.

It is clear that he alone, all alone, crafted this devious crime and carried out the act. For that he should pay and pay big and pay for the rest of his life.

Well said. Thank you.

 

[L White]

If it was a cover up, why throw Toni under the bus and not ask his defence to look into it as that?

 

[Ciana]

I agree, there is something decidedly odd going on when this woman is permitted to engage in the activities that she evidently plays an active part in. Why on earth do the good folk of Bute allow this? If a person who shows their dog/s is kicked into touch, (re earlier post) why do they think that this is okay? The sheriff in question let her off far too leniently, in my view. I would not let any of my three furkids near her, never mind a human child.

 

[Ciana]

In my opinion, and this is meant in a general sense, and not in relation to this particular case, juries do not always get it right. I say this as an former judge's associate. Juries are made up of everyday folk. A lot of them mean well, some are very bright. Some should not be sitting on a jury at all for a variety of reasons.

 

[Eezer Goode]

Just curious and genuine question...for those who think AC is not guilty, then who do you think committed the crime ?

I am only speaking for myself but IF he is not guilty it would be pure speculation as to the why's and wherefores beyond that. It would need reexamination by the authorities. And we can't discuss that sort of thing on websleuths as far as i'm aware.

And if AC was used as a fall guy, then why would he not implicate the other Guilty party or parties in his defence ...

Again this would be pure speculation but since you asked the question perhaps imagine a scenario where AC had been set up. It would depend. i guess, on the reach and power of the people setting him up. If it was far and wide his protestations and implications would account for Sweet Fanny Adams.

Also, he did implicate someone. It could be true, it could be part of the 'set up', ie. a line he was told to spin. Anything is imaginable through speculation but one could probably create half a dozen scenarios just as believable as the given one. And one cannot rule the given scenario out, not vehemently anyway.

[QUOTE="...after all, he would have nothing to lose[/QUOTE]

With respect, I disagree. I would guess a stretch in prison is about the best deal you're going to get if you are 'the fall guy' (depending on who is setting you up).

 

[Crestnut]

What do you think the defence might put forward to appeal the sentence ?

ETA. Note to self, have coffee before posting....I meant the verdict ...I can easily see how they can appeal the sentence...

I am not clued up with law but I read a lot of appeals on scotcourts and it amazes me the different things that can be appealed against. They tend to relate mainly back to past cases etc