I understand Alesha’s family anger at killer’s sentence cut
Justice Secretary Humza tweets support
THE Justice Secretary has agreed to meet Alesha MacPhail’s family after the schoolgirl’s killer Aaron Campbell had his sentence cut.
Humza Yousaf tweeted support for the family and promised to see them after the evil teenager had his appeal heard on Tuesday.
Campbell abducted Alesha from her grandparents’ house on the Isle of Bute last July. He raped and murdered the six-year-old in the grounds of an abandoned hotel.
Three of the country’s top judges have now decided that the minimum term he will serve before being considered for parole will be reduced from 27 years to 24.
Alesha’s furious mum Georgina Lochrane told the Record that the murderer had succeeded in “playing the
system” and she fears for the next generation of children.
Yousaf tweeted: “Horrific murder of Alesha MacPhail is one of worst crimes in my lifetime – beyond heartbreaking. I completely understand upset anger of Alesha’s family.
“I will meet with Alesha’s family (and) listen to their concerns.” Campbell, 17, will now be 40 years old when his release can be considered for the first time. He was unanimously convicted by a jury after forcing the family to endure a nine-day trial in February, during which he tried to incriminate Alesha’s dad’s girlfriend for the murder.
He subsequently admitted his guilt to a court psychologist, saying he was “quite satisfied” with the murder and had to “zip his mouth” to stop himself laughing during the trial.
Campbell was sentenced to detention without limit of time in March.