117 injuries
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ALESHA MacPhail had 117 injuries when she was found dead, a court heard yesterday.
A forensic expert said they were the worst he had ever seen on a child.
The mum of the teen accused of killing Alesha also told his murder trial how she quizzed him about the six-year-old’s death.
BY GRANT McCABE reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk A FORENSIC expert yesterday told a court that the injuries suffered by Alesha MacPhail were like nothing he’d ever seen before.
The trial of a teenager accused of murdering the six-year-old heard them described as “catastrophic”.
The High Court in Glasgow was also told how Alesha had a total of 117 injuries when she was found dead on the Isle of Bute last July.
Dr John Williams, a consultant forensic pathologist based at Glasgow University, said in evidence that the youngster had died due to “significant” pressure to the face and neck.
Some injuries were described as “forceful”, with others too graphic to explain in detail.
A 16-year-old boy – who cannot be named because he is under 18 – is accused of abducting, raping and murdering Alesha.
He denies the charges and has lodged a special defence blaming Toni McLachlan, the partner of Alesha’s dad Robert MacPhail.
The accused boy’s mum also gave evidence yesterday and claimed she “did not think he had anything to do” with the killing when she contacted police at the time.
Dr Williams, who carried out a post mortem on Alesha, said he had initially examined the child at the woodland area in Rothesay where she was found on July 2. His report detailed Alesha had 117 injuries.
Prosecutor Iain McSporran asked the doctor: “That is a significant number … but some may have been caused by the nature of the ground where something was happening to her?” He replied: “Yes.” Jurors were again shown photos of Alesha’s naked body after she’d been found. She had “severe” injuries to her private parts.
McSporran asked Dr Williams: “You have carried out many post mortems on victims of crime including children. Have you ever seen anything of this sort to the private parts?” Dr Williams: “No.” The trial was told Alesha was the victim of “smothering” having suffered “inflicted trauma”. There had also been shaking of the child as well as bruising and “pinpoint” areas of bleeding. Dr