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Teen, 16, who abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail named as Aaron Campbell

<em>Aleisha MacPhail’s killer has been named after a judge allowed him to be identified</em>
Aleisha MacPhail’s killer has been named after a judge allowed him to be identified

The 16-year-old who abducted, raped and murdered Alesha MacPhail has been named after a judge allowed his name to be reported.

Aaron Campbell snatched the six-year-old and took her to the grounds of a disused hotel where he raped and killed her on the Isle of Bute last July.

The body of the six-year-old was found in woods hours after she was reported missing from the house her father shared with his parents and partner on the island.

<em>Aaron Campbell could be identified after a judge allowed him to be named (Picture: Police Scotland / PA Wire)</em>
Aaron Campbell could be identified after a judge allowed him to be named (Picture: Police Scotland / PA Wire)

Campbell was found guilty of abduction, rape and murder at Glasgow Crown Court on Thursday following a two-week trial.

He originally could not be identified due to his age but the following day judge Lord Matthews ruled he can be named after an application from media outlets.

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He said: “I can’t think of a case in recent times that has attracted such revulsion.

“I intend to grant the application. The press may name the accused and publish images of him.”

<em>Alesha was days into her summer holiday with father Robert MacPhail (Picture: PA)</em>
Alesha was days into her summer holiday with father Robert MacPhail (Picture: PA)

On Thursday, Lord Matthews told Campbell he had committed some of the “wickedest, most evil crimes this court has ever heard”.

Campbell took Alesha from the bed where she was sleeping and inflicted horrific injuries on her before dumping her body in woodland.

During the trial pathologist John Williams told the court Alesha had 117 separate injuries, including “catastrophic” injuries to her private parts – more severe than he had ever seen before and which were at least partially inflicted while she was still alive.

The trial heard Alesha was days into her summer holiday on the island with father Robert MacPhail, 26, and grandparents Angela King and Calum MacPhail when she was snatched by Campbell, who tried to blame her father’s girlfriend Toni McLachlan, 18, for the crime.

Campbell’s semen was found on the schoolgirl but he tried to claim Ms McLachlan must have planted it there after the pair had sex.

<em>Alesha’s mother Georgina Lochrane spoke of her devastation after the trial (Picture: PA)</em>
Alesha’s mother Georgina Lochrane spoke of her devastation after the trial (Picture: PA)

After the trial, Alesha’s mother Georgina Lochrane, said: “Words cannot express just 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.

“Alesha, I love you so much, my wee pal. I will miss you forever.”

The MacPhail family said: “We can’t believe that we will never see our wee angel Alesha again. We miss her so much.

“We hope that the boy who took her from us is jailed for a long time because of what he has done to our family.

“Alesha may be gone from our lives but she will always be in our hearts.”

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