Alesha MacPhail: Teenager jailed for at least 27 years for rape and murder of six-year-old girl

A 16-year-old boy has been jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years for the rape and murder of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail.

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Aaron Campbell admitted the charges at his sentencing on Thursday after maintaining his innocence during his trial, where he blamed the death on the girlfriend of Alesha's father.

The girl's mother Georgina Lochrane shouted after Campbell was sentenced: "Disgusting, vile little f****** rat."

Judge Lord Matthews said the teenager had to stop himself laughing at points during his trial and showed a "breathtaking lack of remorse" throughout.

He added that it was "a terrible thing to say of one so young" but evidence had shown Campbell was a "cold, callous, calculating, remorseless and dangerous individual".

Lord Matthews added that the "rehabilitation" and "reintegration" of Campbell were "remote possibilities".

A psychological evaluation carried out on 9 and 10 July last year highlighted no issues to suggest the teenager was not of sound mind when he murdered Alesha.

Campbell abducted the girl at knifepoint from her grandparents' home on the Isle of Bute in July 2018.

The teenager, from Rothesay on the Scottish holiday island, then carried her half a mile to a woodland clearing where she was raped and smothered to death.

Pathologist John Williams told the trial that Alesha suffered 117 separate injuries.

A police officer wept in the dock while giving evidence because he was so badly affected by the memory of seeing the six-year-old's body.

Campbell denied having ever met Alesha during his trial, despite the fact traces of his DNA were found on the six-year-old's neck, shorts, vest and her private parts.

He claimed the DNA was planted from a condom, and lodged a complaint blaming Toni McLachlan, the girlfriend of Alesha's father for the attack.

His defence claimed the semen was "planted" on the six-year-old.

Asked about the attack during his trial, Campbell said: "I've never met Alesha MacPhail in person.

"I didn't even know her name until everything that happened."

Campbell could not be identified during the trial due to his age but judge Lord Matthews lifted the ban after his conviction.

Alesha was days into a summer holiday with her father Robert MacPhail and grandparents Angela King and Calum MacPhail when she was snatched by Campbell.

After a jury found him unanimously guilty, Ms Lochrane said: "Words cannot express how devastated I am to have lost my beautiful, happy, smiley wee girl.

"I am glad that the boy who did this has finally been brought to justice and that he will not be able to inflict the pain on another family that he has done to mine."