The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Alesha’s injuries described to jury
Trial: Court hears ‘distressing’ medical evidence
The Alesha MacPhail murder trial has been told the six-year-old schoolgirl was smothered and suffered “catastrophic” injuries.
Pathologist John Williams said the youngster had a total of 117 separate injuries.
The High Court in Glasgow was shown graphic images of her injuries, 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 and attempting to 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 her hide 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 117 injuries were caused by the nature of the ground she was lying on, the jury was told. Her injuries included “catastrophic” injuries to her private parts.
He said the soles of her feet were clean, consistent with her being picked up or otherwise taken to where she was found.
Questioned by Brian McConnachie, for the accused, who described Alesha’s injuries as “catastrophic”, Dr Williams said he had never been shown an object that could have caused them.
The court also heard yesterday from two householders in Rothesay who both said CCTV images from their homes appeared to show a figure walking along the shoreline carrying another figure in the early hours of July 2.
The accused has lodged a special defence blaming Toni McLachlan – the girlfriend of Alesha’s father Robert MacPhail – for the killing. During her evidence on Wednesday she insisted she had had nothing to do with the girl’s death, telling jurors: “I loved her to pieces.”
The trial continues.