The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Trial of murdered girl heard victim suffered ‘catastrophic’ injuries
‘Distressing’ images of the six-year-old were shown as well as CCTV footage of the accused
The Alesha MacPhail murder trial has been told the six-year-old schoolgirl was smothered and suffered “catastrophic” injuries.
Pathologist John Williams said she suffered more severe injuries to her private parts than he had ever seen.
The High Court in Glasgow was shown graphic images, which judge Lord Matthews warned were “distressing”.
A 16-year old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies abducting the schoolgirl from the home her grandparents shared with her father on the Isle of Bute, raping and murdering her and attempting to hide evidence.
Her body was found in a wooded area on the island on July 2 last year.
Dr Williams said his post-mortem examination of her body indicated the cause of death was “significant and forceful pressure to her neck and face”.
He said the injuries to her neck and face were consistent with being gripped and those to her nose and mouth were consistent with “smothering”.
He added it was also possible her windpipe was pushed shut.
Most of the the 117 injuries were caused by the nature of the ground she was lying on, the jury was told.
The pathologist said the soles of her feet were clean, consistent with her being picked up or otherwise taken to where she was found.
The court also heard from the accused’s mother, who said her son had been drinking with friends at home early on July 2.
The following day she helped search for Alesha and later checked her CCTV system covering the front and back of her home.
The court was shown footage in which she identified her son leaving the home at 1.54am on July 2, wearing all black, and returning at 3.35am no longer wearing his black top. At 3.44am, he is seen leaving a minute later wearing only shorts and carrying an item.
He leaves the house again at 3.58am, running off wearing shoes, shorts and a top before returning at 4.07am.
The mother said she told her son about the footage and asked him why he was out, to which he said: “I don’t know, I might have been looking for my phone.”
He was adamant, absolutely adamant, that he had nothing to do with it. MOTHER OF THE ACCUSED
His mother later phoned police to “eliminate” her son from inquiries, saying: “Obviously I really didn’t think he had anything to do with it whatsoever.”
After the police spoke to him she said he told her he was first out looking for cannabis and later for his phone.
She said: “I talked to him and tried to explain that whoever had done this to this little girl their DNA would be all over her.
“He was adamant, absolutely adamant, that he had nothing to do with it.”
She was later shown pictures of a knife found on the shore, which she said is “very similar” to those in her kitchen but she had “no idea” how it got there.
His mother was also shown jogging trousers and boxers at the shore, which she said looked like her son’s.
She described her son as “clever at maths”, “well-liked” and said he had “lots of friends”.
The court also heard from Alexander McLachlan, 48, who said CCTV from his home in Marine Place, Rothesay, shown to the jury, captured a figure carrying something along the shoreline at 2.26am on July 2 and he “presumed it was somebody carrying a child”.
His sister-in-law Shari Strathie, 33, said CCTV from her home next door, also shown in court, featured a person carrying something on their front “with legs hanging down”.
The accused has lodged a special defence blaming Toni McLachlan – the girlfriend of Alesha’s father Robert MacPhail – for the killing.
During her evidence to the court on Wednesday she insisted she had nothing to do with the girl’s death, telling jurors: “I loved her to pieces.”
The trial continues.