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

[Legally Bland]

The boy's QC Brian McConnachie

Prosecutor Iain McSporran QC



Alesha MacPhail: Boy denies abducting, raping and murdering tot on Isle of Bute

He was/is the prosecutor in the Margaret Fleming mistrial/trial.

 

[JerseyGirl]

His trial is scheduled to start on 4 February and is expected to last two weeks.

Boy to stand trial for rape and murder of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail

 

[Hedgehog]

Boy accused of rape & murder of 6 year old little Alesha Macphail is said to have 'applied pressure' to her face, & inflicted injuries by 'means unknown'. Prosecutors claim he then raped & murdered her.
He then went to a house to dispose of his clothes & took a shower to wash off blood from his body.

Alesha's mother had to get special permission from Lady Rae (the presiding judge) in order to be allowed to attend today's hearing at the High Court in Glasgow, Scotland.

Teen denies raping and murdering Alesha Macphail on Isle of Bute | Daily Mail Online

 

[Truth Prevails]

Both sides bringing out the big guns.

Brian McConnachie is a familiar name, he has been involved in some big cases - he is worth a google.

Iain McSporran was the prosecution in the collapsed Margaret Fleming case.

BBM, indeed. His services wouldn't come cheap, would I be correct in that thinking? Interesting, if so.

Here is a quote from an article I found in a Google search, although the title gives the best hint as to the tactics Mr. McConnachie may favor:

Quote: Begg was jailed for eight years in 2014 for the rapes, assaults and sexual assaults of two women in the 1990s. One of them endured two and a half days of tough exchanges with Mr McConnachie.
QC rebuked for calling rape complainer "malicious liar" defended by peers | HeraldScotland


Below is another quote and linked article, with the charges the 16-year-old is facing and is pleading not guilty to as they appear on the indictment:

Quote: Charge one on the indictment claims the teen entered 52 Ardbeg Road in Rothesay armed with a knife on July 2.

It claims he did ‘remove her from her bed, detain her against her will and carry her to the site of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel, remove her clothing, shake her violently, place your hands over her nose and mouth and around her neck and apply pressure to her face and neck.’

The papers claim he then raped her ‘all to her severe injury and you did murder her.’

Charge two is a claim he attempted to defeat the ends of justice on the shore at Rothesay and at another address in the town.

It reads he did ‘remove clothing worn during the commission of said crime, dispose of said clothing and a knife and wash blood from your body in a shower, all in an attempt to destroy or conceal evidence.’
Alesha MacPhail's mum comes face-to-face with teen boy accused of her murder

 

[Mrs Marple]

Dear God. I had imagined as he was known to her, she thought it was a game and went willingly. Not this horror.

 

[Tortoise]

His trial is scheduled to start on 4 February and is expected to last two weeks.

Boy to stand trial for rape and murder of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail

bump.

Trial due to start today.

 

[Legally Bland]

I can't see it listed.

Court Roll

Maybe they don't have a listing for minors in Scotland instead of using asterisks?

 

[Alyce]

I would expect the press to be out in force for Day One, so very likely it has not started today


just editing here, my mistake, what I saw is not his trial

 

[nothinonyou]

anyone know what happened here?

 

[JosieJo]

Still nothing in the press?

 

[iulia]

Boy accused of Alesha murder blames woman

 

[HayLouise]

Brian McConnachie QC lodged a special defence on his client's behalf claiming the crime was committed by a woman.

Prosecutors allege the boy was armed with a knife when he took Alesha from her bed at a house in Ardbeg Road in Rothesay, Bute.

It is claimed the boy then carried the schoolgirl to the site of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel on the island.

The indictment states he took off Alesha's clothes, shook her violently before placing his hands over her nose, mouth and around her neck.

Boy accused of Alesha murder blames woman

 

[HayLouise]

The boy is said to have "applied pressure" to her face, inflicted injuries by "means unknown" with prosecutors alleging he went on to rape and murder Alesha.

The teenager faces a separate charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

It is alleged he went to another house in Ardbeg Road before disposing of the clothes he had worn and then taking a shower to remove blood from his body.

This is said to have been done in a bid to "destroy or conceal evidence".

No evidence was heard on Monday.

Prosecutor Iain McSporran QC instead read out two joint minutes of evidence agreed between the Crown and the boy's lawyers.

Jurors were told Alesha's naked body was found by a man at 08:54 on 2 July in the grounds of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel.

The child was pronounced dead around 30 minutes later at 09:23.

Mr McSporran said: "She had been murdered. Following a post mortem examination of her remains, the cause of death was established as 'pressure to neck and face'."

The court also heard it was Alesha's gran Angela King who had reported the girl missing at 06:23 on 2 July.

Lord Matthews told jurors the case was likely to "arouse strong emotion" but that they were to adopt a "professional detachment" to the evidence.

The trial continues.

Boy accused of Alesha murder blames woman

 

[Alyce]

Brian McConnachie QC lodged a special defence on his client's behalf claiming the crime was committed by a woman.

Prosecutors allege the boy was armed with a knife when he took Alesha from her bed at a house in Ardbeg Road in Rothesay, Bute.

It is claimed the boy then carried the schoolgirl to the site of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel on the island.

The indictment states he took off Alesha's clothes, shook her violently before placing his hands over her nose, mouth and around her neck.

Boy accused of Alesha murder blames woman

I wasn't expecting that defence !

 

[Alyce]

He has lodged a special defence of incrimination - blaming 19-year-old Toni Louise McLachlan.

Teenage boy blames woman, 19, for 'rape and murder' of Alesha MacPhail on Bute

 

[Alyce]

A jury of eight women and seven men was picked at the High Court in Glasgow to hear the evidence in the trial which is expected to last two weeks.


Teenage boy blames woman, 19, for 'rape and murder' of Alesha MacPhail on Bute

 

[Legally Bland]

He has lodged a special defence of incrimination - blaming 19-year-old Toni Louise McLachlan.

Teenage boy blames woman, 19, for 'rape and murder' of Alesha MacPhail on Bute

Is that the Dad's girlfriend?

 

[Alyce]

Could be one to follow on Twitter

Connor Gillies‏Verified account @ConnorGillies




Jury sworn in here at the High Court in the case of the 16 year old boy accused of raping and murdering six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute.

 

[Alyce]

Is that the Dad's girlfriend?

Yes

 

[Alyce]

I wonder who found her ? reports just say a man