Fury of Alesha’s family as judges cut years off teen killer’s sentence
ANGER erupted yesterday after the teenager who raped and murdered schoolgirl Alesha MacPhail had his sentence cut.
Vile Aaron Campbell had three years taken off the minimum time he must serve behind bars following an appeal.
Three judges ruled that Campbell, who is now 17 but was 16 at the time of the killing, should have his sentence reduced “to reflect his youth”. But the decision was greeted with fury and disbelief by Alesha’s relatives and justice campaigners.
The six-year-old victim’s uncle Calum MacPhail said: “I feel angry, upset and I’m losing the trust or the faith
I had in the justice system to protect people.”
Campbell was sentenced to life with an order to serve at least 27 years for killing Alesha on the Scottish island of
Bute in July 2018.
He abducted the child, who was on holiday from her home on the mainland, at her grandparents’ house in the island’s main town Rothesay.
He was found guilty of the crime which horrified the nation at a nineday trial in the High Court in Glasgow.
Between the verdict and his sentencing hearing he confessed to the killing, saying he was “quite satisfied” with it.
The appeal was first heard in August in Edinburgh, with Alesha’s parents Robert MacPhail and Georgina Lochrane in the courtroom gallery.
Campbell was linked into the courtroom via video, showing no emotion.
After news that his minimum sentence had been cut to 24 years Calum, brother of Alesha’s father Robert, said: “Aaron Campbell, and I try not to utter his name, has been granted three years off what he was already given, as he’s been charged as a child instead of an adult.
“It’s frustrating and hard to put into words how disappointed I am.”
Calum said Campbell had lied all through his trial and “played the system”.
In their ruling the judges Lady Dorrian, Lord Drummond Young and Lord Menzies said a punishment of over 20 years was “plainly merited” but that a cut was justified. They added that Campbell may never be considered for parole.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr called it “a quite disgraceful outcome”.
He said: “This vile criminal should not be enjoying having time shaved off his sentence. If anything, he should be looking at an even longer stint.”