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

[nothinonyou]

I found a bunch of new pics of him, they’ve all been deleted off the persons social media now but it made me well sad. Just a regular kid, I don’t really know where or how it all went wrong

did you happen to save them?

 

[Edinlass]

Unfortunately, Scotland does not have a whole of life sentence so the best the Judge can do would be to set a precedent by giving him - say - 40 years or more.
I expect it will depend on the reports that have been ordered, as to whether or not the Judge feels there is a possibility of rehabilitation which would allow a release at some point in his life.

Yes you are right. He will be eligible for parole in 20 - 25 years time I think. I highly doubt the the judge will hand over a sentence of anymore than that or without the option of parole due to his age , I could be wrong of course and I don’t agree either.

 

[Edinlass]

did you happen to save them?

I don’t think they can be shared as they are from his gfs profile before it was removed & actually she is in some of the pics.

Kiki - you can maybe share the ones of him on his own editing the photo to remove any personal details of the profile it originated from.

 

[Edinlass]

I certainly struggle to have sympathy towards him myself- but it makes you wonder what had tipped a 16 year old who seemingly had everything into the throws of desperation and wanting to end it all- and what then happened in his head that night that made him do something so spectacularly cruel and evil.

I think he is just selfish and takes what he wants. I think that’s the kind of 16 year old he is...

 

[bronzepurple]

Looking at the pics it is sad eh, he does appear from the outside looking in as a typical teenager. It really is shocking.

His girlfriend (or ex) is probably trying to match the person she knew with the person who is being written about in the media. It must be a lot to get your head around.

 

[Eve71]

His girlfriend (or ex) is probably trying to match the person she knew with the person who is being written about in the media. It must be a lot to get your head around.

He didn’t really try too hard to hide his persona though. I’ve read people who knew or of him found him strange and unsettled. His snapchats could be quite macabre. Of course no one could have predicted what was about to happen but I don’t think he was regarded as just a regular teenager on that island . His parents obviously had serious concerns about him, especially his dad.

 

[bronzepurple]

He didn’t really try too hard to hide his persona though. I’ve read people who knew or of him found him strange and unsettled. His snapchats could be quite macabre. Of course no one could have predicted what was about to happen but I don’t think he was regarded as just a regular teenager on that island . His parents obviously had serious concerns about him, especially his dad.

It's true that he had a bit of a strange reputation. But she may dismissed the weirder rumours about him (for example the cat stories) and have just thought of him as a 'bad boy' what with him carrying knives to school etc...love can make you view people through a completely different lens.

 

[Eve71]

I think it's possible that this was an act to be honest,I believe he may have got a kick out of knowing how to play people to make them feel sorry for him.

Agree with you. I doubt for one minute he thought about killing himself. He was probably feeling sorry for himself and wanted sympathy and attention. Shame he didn’t because Alesha would still be here. That really sums up how I feel about that wicked, wicked boy.

 

[Alyce]

This might be a useful link, next week

Sentencing Statements - Judgments & Sentences - Judiciary of Scotland

 

[Eve71]

It's true that he had a bit of a strange reputation. But she may dismissed the weirder rumours about him (for example the cat stories) and have just thought of him as a 'bad boy' what with him carrying knives to school etc...love can make you view people through a completely different lens.

Yes, that is true, especially a mothers love. Is there any substance to the cat rumours? I did read his dad had said he had no empathy ,that’s a strong statement to make about your child. I do think his mother had serious concerns about him, she knew as soon as she viewed the CCTV he was responsible. It doesn’t look like she’s standing by him either.

 

[Edinlass]

Yes, that is true, especially a mothers love. Is there any substance to the cat rumours? I did read his dad had said he had no empathy ,that’s a strong statement to make about your child. I do think his mother had serious concerns about him, she knew as soon as she viewed the CCTV he was responsible. It doesn’t look like she’s standing by him either.

They’re all rumours thoughout the local community. It was said that they could of actually been his cats rather than a neighbours etc. But nothing is concrete. Yeah I read the same comments about his dad, again this wasn’t said directly by him. But I agree his mum knew something was off to assume guilt, even though she said it was to eliminate him from the polices enquiries, I just don’t believe that. She did the right thing though, hats off to her tbh.

 

[bronzepurple]

Yes, that is true, especially a mothers love. Is there any substance to the cat rumours? I did read his dad had said he had no empathy ,that’s a strong statement to make about your child. I do think his mother had serious concerns about him, she knew as soon as she viewed the CCTV he was responsible. It doesn’t look like she’s standing by him either.

I live here and I heard the rumours about the cats so I do think it was true. In the paper it said he hunted neighbourhood cats. I do know his family used to have cats also though, so maybe it was his pets. People here did also describe him as a strange boy or someone who has something strange about him. I think his mum will stand by him to a degree...at the moment I think it's just too fresh for her to be able to visit him and look him in the eye knowing all the details of the crime...but over time I think she will go to see him and keep in touch with him.

 

[nothinonyou]

Here’s a few I found, posted between late 2017 and may 2018, so a few months before the murder

thanks for this. so hard to imagine the evil lurking within when viewing these pictures

 

[Eve71]

I live here and I heard the rumours about the cats so I do think it was true. In the paper it said he hunted neighbourhood cats so I don't know if they were his or not. I do know his family used to have cats also though, so maybe it was his pets. People here did also describe him as a strange boy or someone who has something strange about him. I think his mum will stand by him to a degree...at the moment I think it's just too fresh for her to be able to visit him and look him in the eye knowing all the details of the crime...but over time I think she will go to see him and keep in touch with him.

Very close to home for you then. Do you know any of the families involved? I think you’re probably right about his mum, she may visit him in time but it’ll be more of a mother’s duty iykwim

 

[Kikixxxx]

I live here and I heard the rumours about the cats so I do think it was true. In the paper it said he hunted neighbourhood cats. I do know his family used to have cats also though, so maybe it was his pets. People here did also describe him as a strange boy or someone who has something strange about him. I think his mum will stand by him to a degree...at the moment I think it's just too fresh for her to be able to visit him and look him in the eye knowing all the details of the crime...but over time I think she will go to see him and keep in touch with him.

I saw one his best friends dad post something about knowing for years something would come out about him, he would of known him quite well I’d think too. So I deffinitley think there was something off about him but in the pictures we’ve seen I agree it’s hard to see him that way. Maybe that’s why we think crime is just so shocking and horrific.

 

[bronzepurple]

Very close to home for you then. Do you know any of the families involved? I think you’re probably right about his mum, she may visit him in time but it’ll be more of a mother’s duty iykwim

I don't know them personally but I see Alesha's family around town. Her grandmother used to work in a shop in town (it's closed down now). It's just heartbreaking what happened.

 

[PR274]

I live here and I heard the rumours about the cats so I do think it was true. In the paper it said he hunted neighbourhood cats. I do know his family used to have cats also though, so maybe it was his pets. People here did also describe him as a strange boy or someone who has something strange about him. I think his mum will stand by him to a degree...at the moment I think it's just too fresh for her to be able to visit him and look him in the eye knowing all the details of the crime...but over time I think she will go to see him and keep in touch with him.

Also live here and these are the rumours I'd heard too. Maybe it's hindsight but a lot of people I've spoken too found him a bit strange.

 

[TaylorCallum]

I live here and I heard the rumours about the cats so I do think it was true. In the paper it said he hunted neighbourhood cats. I do know his family used to have cats also though, so maybe it was his pets. People here did also describe him as a strange boy or someone who has something strange about him. I think his mum will stand by him to a degree...at the moment I think it's just too fresh for her to be able to visit him and look him in the eye knowing all the details of the crime...but over time I think she will go to see him and keep in touch with him.

Also live here and these are the rumours I'd heard too. Maybe it's hindsight but a lot of people I've spoken too found him a bit strange.

Had you heard the rumours about the cats and his odd behaviour etc. before he was arrested? Or did it come out afterwards. Because a lot of it could have been conjecture after his arrest. Not saying it isn't true. Just trying to get a clearer picture.

He doesn't appear particularly "odd" or "dangerous" in his YouTube videos or in any photograph I've seen of him. I know that's obviously a lot different from interacting with someone in person, but from all media I've saw of him he doesn't seem bizarre. I think a lot of people's perception of him may stem from hindsight and may come from their disgust at the crime he has committed, honestly. You can always look back at things in the past and see them in a certain way, relative to how things have played out in the future. If he hadn't done such an awful thing I feel like people would probably be a bit more dismissive and less inclined to perceive him as such a "strange" person. Could be wrong though.

 

[bronzepurple]

Had you heard the rumours about the cats and his odd behaviour etc. before he was arrested? Or did it come out afterwards. Because a lot of it could have been conjecture after his arrest. Not saying it isn't true. Just trying to get a clearer picture.

He doesn't appear particularly "odd" or "dangerous" in his YouTube videos or in any photograph I've seen of him. I know that's obviously a lot different from interacting with someone in person, but from all media I've saw of him he doesn't seem bizarre. I think a lot of people's perception of him may stem from hindsight and may come from their disgust at the crime he has committed, honestly. You can always look back at things in the past and see them in a certain way, relative to how things have played out in the future. If he hadn't done such an awful thing I feel like people would probably be a bit more dismissive and less inclined to perceive him as such a "strange" person. Could be wrong though.

I heard the rumours after his arrest. But it came from someone who had heard about it from way before this Alesha's abduction. It's just because I didn't know him (Aaron) that this other person never brought him up to me till after everything happened.

I know what you're saying but I don't think it applies in this case because as soon as she went missing a lot of people messaged Toni saying they felt Aaron had something to do with it....this was before he was arrested and before Alesha's body was found (this was mentioned in the media). I do feel he had a very strange reputation way before anything that happened, I don't think it's people trying to push this persona onto him in the aftermath of everything.

 

[Eve71]

I heard the rumours after his arrest. But it came from someone who had heard about it from way before this Alesha's abduction. It's just because I didn't know him (Aaron) that this other person never brought him up to me till after everything happened.

I know what you're saying but I don't think it applies in this case because as soon as she went missing a lot of people messaged Toni saying they felt Aaron had something to do with it....this was before he was arrested and before Alesha's body was found (this was mentioned in the media). I do feel he had a very strange reputation way before anything that happened, I don't think it's people trying to push this persona onto him in the aftermath of everything.

The messages may have been because of his odd Snapchat posts regarding Aleshas disappearance and people were putting two and two together. Even if he’s innocent ( he’s not) the posts were bizarre, what kind of person would find humour in a missing/murdered child, especially one so close to home ? Did you ever see Alesha around ?