GUILTY UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -*arrest* #7

[Kikixxxx]

Well he’s pretty cold to say the least, although he has to be able to cut himself off emotionally to work in the sector he does. I wonder why he can’t talk about the case, it’s over and done with now.

An apology to TM wouldn’t go a miss either, not from BMc of course but she wasn’t really treated ‘fairly’ tbh.

Yeah he was cold. And why can’t he comment on Aaron being remorseful ??

 

[Edinlass]

Yeah he was cold. And why can’t he comment on Aaron being remorseful ??

Appeal immediately sprang to mind but I doubt it. Was strange tho, he just shut her down.

 

[Sleuthdolf]

Is that the full interview? Is that channel in Scotland coz I don’t think we have that in England

I'm in England too so not sure. Just went on Twitter and it was at the top so quickly shared it. It does look like it goes on a bit longer.

 

[Bampot]

Maybe the qc and defendant have some sort of confidentiality agreement. Hey was there not someone claiming to be a law graduate here recently, maybe they could verify

 

[Legally Bland]

I'm in England too so not sure. Just went on Twitter and it was at the top so quickly shared it. It does look like it goes on a bit longer.

It's on iPlayer, but 'available shortly'.

BBC Scotland - The Nine, 28/03/2019

No idea if there's more to the interview.

ETA: I'm assuming it's from today's episode.

 

[Yenriac]

Is that the full interview? Is that channel in Scotland coz I don’t think we have that in England

You might get it on iplayer.

 

[Edinlass]

Yes it was on BBC Scotland’s news at 9pm tonight so it will be available shortly on BBC iplayer. I don’t think he adds much more just talks about how cases work and himself lol likes himself - I get that impression. He actually retweeted the interview on his own twitter account. I’m still shocked it’s open and not private tbh.

 

[Yenriac]

Yes it was on BBC Scotland’s news at 9pm tonight so it will be available shortly on BBC iplayer. I don’t think he adds much more just talks about how cases work and himself lol likes himself - I get that impression. He actually retweeted the interview on his own twitter account. I’m still shocked it’s open and not private tbh.

Yeah i got the impression he likes to talk about himself and how fortunate he is. I can't quite believe he gave an interview, is he cashing in on the case over and above his fee?

 

[Edinlass]

Yeah i got the impression he likes to talk about himself and how fortunate he is. I can't quite believe he gave an interview, is he cashing in on the case over and above his fee?

Unbelievable if so. He must be doing it for a reason, or maybe it’s just so he can talk about himself for a few minutes. Comes across as extremely patronising, IMO.

 

[Yenriac]

Unbelievable if so. He must be doing it for a reason, or maybe it’s just so he can talk about himself for a few minutes. Comes across as extremely patronising, IMO.

Pompous and patronising.

 

[Bampot]

I dont feel contempt for McConnachie. Somebody has to do that job. Cannot have a trial without a defence.
AC is the .
I'm never going to like McC but he's not the baddie.

 

[Yenriac]

I dont feel contempt for McConnachie. Somebody has to do that job. Cannot have a trial without a defence.
AC is the *******.
I'm never going to like McC but he's not the baddie.

No definitely not a baddie, someone has to do it, understandably.
If he hadn't done the interview i wouldn't have that opinion. He just came across as patronising and pompous, maybe when he goes home and disassociates himself from his QC role he's a different man altogether.

 

[Kiranerys]

Yeah he was cold. And why can’t he comment on Aaron being remorseful ??

Because he's not?!

 

[Bawbag]

I'm fairly sure that he might still be acting as AC's solicitor. If he is it wouldn't be very prudent of him to comment on the sentence publicly, either positively or negatively. You'll very rarely get Advocates talking openly, or giving snippets, about the clients they have represented. Listen to any interview with Donald Findlay, Paul McBride, etc.

I get the feeling from that interview that he was asked to go on the show to discuss the role of Defence lawyers in the Scottish legal system and not this trial in particular. Note that he says that he did not plan AC's defence personally, and that he was grateful for the Judge clarifying that in the Scottish legal system defence counsel act upon their clients instructions. The incrimination of TM was all on AC, not the Defence counsel. Who knows what advice they gave him behind closed doors.

This case has aroused a lot of attention in Scotland, and it makes sense that he wished to take part in an interview explaining the Scottish legal process. The interviewer in this case did what any good interviewer would do; she tried to pry a little bit of information from him but he seen it coming a mile off and parried it away as tactfully as he could.

Would also like to mention that Advocates in Scotland have a rule called the 'cab rank rule'. Essentially if someone comes to you offering you money to provide a service, you are obliged to take it and perform that service for them. Ethically, McConnachie had no choice but to defend AC. It's not seen as ethical to pick and choose your clients if you are an Advocate, particularly if you are involved in Criminal Defence.

 

[Edinlass]

Totally understand that @Bawbag as he rightly pointed out he picked his chosen career path, no-one else. So he chooses to defend the undefenceable - someone has to afterall.

 

[Yenriac]

I'm fairly sure that he might still be acting as AC's solicitor. If he is it wouldn't be very prudent of him to comment on the sentence publicly, either positively or negatively. You'll very rarely get Advocates talking openly, or giving snippets, about the clients they have represented. Listen to any interview with Donald Findlay, Paul McBride, etc.

I get the feeling from that interview that he was asked to go on the show to discuss the role of Defence lawyers in the Scottish legal system and not this trial in particular. Note that he says that he did not plan AC's defence personally, and that he was grateful for the Judge clarifying that in the Scottish legal system defence counsel act upon their clients instructions. The incrimination of TM was all on AC, not the Defence counsel. Who knows what advice they gave him behind closed doors.

This case has aroused a lot of attention in Scotland, and it makes sense that he wished to take part in an interview explaining the Scottish legal process. The interviewer in this case did what any good interviewer would do; she tried to pry a little bit of information from him but he seen it coming a mile off and parried it away as tactfully as he could.

Would also like to mention that Advocates in Scotland have a rule called the 'cab rank rule'. Essentially if someone comes to you offering you money to provide a service, you are obliged to take it and perform that service for them. Ethically, McConnachie had no choice but to defend AC. It's not seen as ethical to pick and choose your clients if you are an Advocate, particularly if you are involved in Criminal Defence.

Very well put. Thank you.

 

[Edinlass]

I'm fairly sure that he might still be acting as AC's solicitor. If he is it wouldn't be very prudent of him to comment on the sentence publicly, either positively or negatively. You'll very rarely get Advocates talking openly, or giving snippets, about the clients they have represented. Listen to any interview with Donald Findlay, Paul McBride, etc.

I get the feeling from that interview that he was asked to go on the show to discuss the role of Defence lawyers in the Scottish legal system and not this trial in particular. Note that he says that he did not plan AC's defence personally, and that he was grateful for the Judge clarifying that in the Scottish legal system defence counsel act upon their clients instructions. The incrimination of TM was all on AC, not the Defence counsel. Who knows what advice they gave him behind closed doors.

This case has aroused a lot of attention in Scotland, and it makes sense that he wished to take part in an interview explaining the Scottish legal process. The interviewer in this case did what any good interviewer would do; she tried to pry a little bit of information from him but he seen it coming a mile off and parried it away as tactfully as he could.

Would also like to mention that Advocates in Scotland have a rule called the 'cab rank rule'. Essentially if someone comes to you offering you money to provide a service, you are obliged to take it and perform that service for them. Ethically, McConnachie had no choice but to defend AC. It's not seen as ethical to pick and choose your clients if you are an Advocate, particularly if you are involved in Criminal Defence.

Great post - just to add though ACs legal fees were essentially paid for or will be paid for by the tax payer therefore SLAB (The Scottish Legal Aid Board) are in charge of handling cases such as these. It is my understanding that a defence lawyer is not approached in the same way a paying customer would approach a lawyers office, much more likely his firm approached SLAB offering guidance etc. The more high profile the better for defence lawyers. Win or lose.

 

[RubyLee87]

Came across this article recently. It seems that he has quite an easy life in Polmont. It’s crazy that young murderers get better treatment than youths who commit petty crimes like theft. They don’t get secure accommodation and all the benefits of that. They have to rough it in the main unit, unlike AC.

“He will be in a secure accommodation, similar to where the Bulger two [Jon Venables and Robert Thompson] were housed, rather than a prison, because he is under 18,” the prison source said.

“It very small unit to start with. “Is it punishment? Nah.

“He’ll get a tutor, a case worker, someone to continually look after him, someone to take him shopping; all this type of thing.”

Source Alesha McPhail's teenage killer ‘faces jail ATTACK' after vile rape and murder of girl, 6

 

[Edinlass]

Came across this article recently. It seems that he has quite an easy life in Polmont. It’s crazy that young murderers get better treatment than youths who commit petty crimes like theft. They don’t get secure accommodation and all the benefits of that. They have to rough it in the main unit, unlike AC.

“He will be in a secure accommodation, similar to where the Bulger two [Jon Venables and Robert Thompson] were housed, rather than a prison, because he is under 18,” the prison source said.

“It very small unit to start with. “Is it punishment? Nah.

“He’ll get a tutor, a case worker, someone to continually look after him, someone to take him shopping; all this type of thing.”

Source Alesha McPhail's teenage killer ‘faces jail ATTACK' after vile rape and murder of girl, 6

Take him shopping - i think they would be safer letting him out in polmonts communal area than livi centre at the moment.

On a serious note - i’m so glad this is the star rag. That tells me it’s as truthful as the digger.

 

[Kikixxxx]

Came across this article recently. It seems that he has quite an easy life in Polmont. It’s crazy that young murderers get better treatment than youths who commit petty crimes like theft. They don’t get secure accommodation and all the benefits of that. They have to rough it in the main unit, unlike AC.

“He will be in a secure accommodation, similar to where the Bulger two [Jon Venables and Robert Thompson] were housed, rather than a prison, because he is under 18,” the prison source said.

“It very small unit to start with. “Is it punishment? Nah.

“He’ll get a tutor, a case worker, someone to continually look after him, someone to take him shopping; all this type of thing.”

Source Alesha McPhail's teenage killer ‘faces jail ATTACK' after vile rape and murder of girl, 6

No way, he would get recognised straight away , the bulger kilers would have looked different so maybe people wouldn’t have noticed them in shopping centres. You’d spot AC a mile off, he’s not gonna change much apearence wise in the next few years at polmont I doubt .