UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -*arrest* #6

[TaylorCallum]

Oh I’ve not read any of his social media posts, what kinda stuff did he say?

The things I were referencing were YouTube comments but he seemed nice on those. He was always responding to comments saying "Thank you for watching" and telling other people "I loved your video" and telling people to go subscribe to his friends and stuff. He was always very mannerly saying "please" and "thank you" and would tell people about himself when they asked questions. He seemed friendly and not like the common YouTube person who might troll for attention or start swearing at people or being rude.

I noticed it straight away when I looked at his gaming channel, he came across to me at least as someone you could chat to online and game with, who would be nice and would probably help you out if you asked him.

 

[Ardoch]

A snippet I found from an article - psychopathy is a psychological condition based on well-established diagnostic criteria, including superficial charm, conning, and manipulative behavior, lack of empathy and remorse, and a willingness to take risks.

I change my mind on this *******. He's got to be a psychopath.

Not all psychopaths are killers and not all killers are psychopaths.

True. I believe experts can't agree either as to what makes a psychopath kill - nature or nurture or a combination.

 

[Ardoch]

The things I were referencing were YouTube comments but he seemed nice on those. He was always responding to comments saying "Thank you for watching" and telling other people "I loved your video" and telling people to go subscribe to his friends and stuff. He was always very mannerly saying "please" and "thank you" and would tell people about himself when they asked questions. He seemed friendly and not like the common YouTube person who might troll for attention or start swearing at people or being rude.

I noticed it straight away when I looked at his gaming channel, he came across to me at least as someone you could chat to online and game with, who would be nice and would probably help you out if you asked him.

Yep that's what I saw too. So you become amateur psychologist and think was that for attention or just simply that he could also be a polite person? I'm glad I didn't study psychology - drive me nuts!

 

[JamesK]

I noticed it straight away when I looked at his gaming channel, he came across to me at least as someone you could chat to online and game with, who would be nice and would probably help you out if you asked him.

Don't forget he was quite a bit younger on those videos. Much more of a child.

 

[TaylorCallum]

Yep that's what I saw too. So you become amateur psychologist and think was that for attention or just simply that he could also be a polite person? I'm glad I didn't study psychology - drive me nuts!

Haha I keep thinking about it too. Maybe that's because he was younger then and it was the onset of puberty that really brought out his callousness and depravity? I mean I'm sure it was always there, bubbling under the surface, but he obviously got worse over time and perhaps because he was brought up middle-class and taught to be polite and mannerly, he had this facade that slowly slipped as he grew older? Strange one. Or maybe some psychopaths are just socially polite. If you're brought up that way you can still be a cold-blooded killer but you've been conditioned to speak in a certain way. Strange to think about.

 

[Ardoch]

And speaking of age;

"If I was a year younger I don't think I would have done it."

Alesha killer finally admits rape and murder

Random justification or something else?

 

[Kikixxxx]

And speaking of age;

"If I was a year younger I don't think I would have done it."

Alesha killer finally admits rape and murder

Random justification or something else?

Yeah, wonder what he meant. He’s implying puberty played a part isn’t he

 

[charlotte123456]

It is completely understandable that you can't face it,especially as you did speak up(so brave in itself) and the adults who should've supported you failed you instead. What more could you do?,I sincerely hope my post didn't infer that your conscience shouldn't be clear,if so I apologise as that was absolutely not my intention.

Not at all. I think you asked a very valid question!

My adult confrontation with him was very calm and it was a prearranged meeting in a neutral setting. It was basically a “I want you to know that you didn’t get away with it. I know and you know what happened and I’m watching you”. I think he was more genuinely shocked that the whole of my family (especially my sister) knew all along! He probably thought I hadn’t told anyone as even a monster like that probably can’t believe the lengths that middle class families will go to in order to “keep the peace”.

I sort of gave him a victim impact statement about the way in which what he did had negatively affected my whole life. He was actually telling me how he was bullied as a child and he was so frightened to meet me. As if I should feel sorry for him!!!? It gave me a great sense of power over HIM being able to face him like that. Something my parents should have done for me.

I hope that was enough in itself to show him that actions have consequences but yes, I do worry about his children. I have no contact with him and have only seen bits and pieces via social media over the years.

This case has particularly disturbed me because AC has traits of my abuser: intelligent, popular, good looking, middle class family...he WAS sent away (to what I am now realising must have been a place you send potential psychopaths - as his mother took him out of a high performing Grammar School to whisk him to this special school, miles away with no explanation) but he came back from there an adult and did what he did to me.

His brother said he was “born evil” - I wonder what else my family have concealed...

 

[Taskforce88]

Well, it has been a horrendous case from start to finish. Can't imagine what the family have been and will continue to go through. Thank you, everyone, for your input and updates, opinions and analysis.

 

[Keeneye]

I have my doubts that Georgina will want to visit him in prison now, honestly. It will do her no good. I hope she doesn't. She's been through enough already and the simple answer is he stole her little girl's life simply because he wanted to. He derived pleasure from killing her and is still deriving pleasure from the suffering of her family. It's devastating.

was he wearing prison issue uniform ? Has his appearance changed ? Also did you hear what br macpherson said ? Sorry just curious now

 

[TaylorCallum]

was he wearing prison issue uniform ? Has his appearance changed ? Also did you hear what br macpherson said ? Sorry just curious now

No, he was wearing a grey suit. Pretty sure it was the same one from prom. Probably the same one he wore during his trial. His appearance looks very similar as in that photo. Longish hair, fringe. No, only heard what Judge Matthews read out. He - and Mr McConnachie - both said they weren't going to go in-depth into the report. Dr Macpherson himself apparently wrote that the report was "very pessimistic" though, which is quite concerning. I hope it gets released one day. No, not at all! I was very curious about it all as well.

 

[Sleuthdolf]

Haha I keep thinking about it too. Maybe that's because he was younger then and it was the onset of puberty that really brought out his callousness and depravity? I mean I'm sure it was always there, bubbling under the surface, but he obviously got worse over time and perhaps because he was brought up middle-class and taught to be polite and mannerly, he had this facade that slowly slipped as he grew older? Strange one. Or maybe some psychopaths are just socially polite. If you're brought up that way you can still be a cold-blooded killer but you've been conditioned to speak in a certain way. Strange to think about.

It's called superficial charm. Ted Bundy was an expert at it.

 

[Ruben71]

Wow... pure 100% psychopath. The most disturbing person I think I've ever come across. How he can look at a young girl in her bed and think 'I want to kill that' just goes so far beyond a normal human being it's sickening. Even though we were all curious I wish he'd kept quiet and never let us know how it happened. I was hoping Alesha might've died earlier in the ordeal and my heart bleeds to know those were her last moments. This boy truly deserves to know what suffering is but I fear he may never and any punishment is too soft. If I could get my hands on him I'd blind him so he could truly be alone with his thoughts and he wouldn't be able to play Xbox or watch TV... RIP Alesha.. I'm glad your pain is over.

 

[TaylorCallum]

I'm confused about the fact that he left the house, disposed of the knife and came back? What would he have done if one of the adults had woken up and saw him in the house the second time and he didn't have a weapon?

 

[Cherwell]

There is no single law to link to. Juveniles have to be sentenced under the Children and Young Person's Act 1933, which stipulates that rehabilitation is given a higher priority than punishment in deciding the sentence. The judge then has to adapt the guidelines for sentencing an adult for the same crime to meet the requirements of the law on sentencing children. If the judge fails to get that legal balancing act right the Court of Appeal will overturn his sentence.

The judge was in an impossible position here because there's no earthly sentence any court can hand down which doesn't feel inadequate to the horror of this crime. All he could reasonably do is get the sentencing right in law and spare Alesha's family the further trauma of watching the defendant drag it out in the Appeals Court. IMO he got the balancing act right, you obviously disagree but I don't think any sentence would have satisfied you.

This is what you said:

It was the maximum allowed in law for a juvenile

I want to see that law. TIA.

I've explained the legal framework in which the judge has to operate when deciding the sentence of a 16 year old as best I can. If that explanation does not satisfy you then there is nothing more I can do other than politely suggest you do your own research on the subject.

That's what I thought.

Here
Scottish Sentencing Council, guidelines

 

[jiminy]

It's my understanding that the intelligent psychopath realises that to blend in they must mask aspects of their character. So they observe others closely and mirror that behaviour. This would fit with his staring and taking in details on the bus etc.

(There was a documentary in the last couple of years about this on, I think, BBC4. It interviewed a seemingly 'normal' man who lives a normal life but who scores very highly on the psychopath check list and is aware he's different. I'll try to find it.)

 

[Edinlass]

It's called superficial charm. Ted Bundy was an expert at it.

A charming physchopath. Nothing charming about him of course.

 

[Keeneye]

No, he was wearing a grey suit. Pretty sure it was the same one from prom. Probably the same one he wore during his trial. His appearance looks very similar as in that photo. Longish hair, fringe. No, only heard what Judge Matthews read out. He - and Mr McConnachie - both said they weren't going to go in-depth into the report. Dr Macpherson himself apparently wrote that the report was "very pessimistic" though, which is quite concerning. I hope it gets released one day. No, not at all! I was very curious about it all as well.

Thanks

 

[Edinlass]

I'm confused about the fact that he left the house, disposed of the knife and came back? What would he have done if one of the adults had woken up and saw him in the house the second time and he didn't have a weapon?

I think it fits that he was initially going to get weed and that all changed when he seen Alesha, then all the plans changed to his previously depraved thoughts. He must have been pretty sure that he could get Alesha out without a fuss and so a knife wasn’t needed. Probably knew that he was going to carry her and as a previous poster suggested the knife would have got in the way. Too big to put in his pocket and not easy to carry a kitchen knife and a child. He wanted her alive, sick!

 

[TaylorCallum]

I hate dwelling on it but I think what broke my heart the most - like I'm sure all of you - was when the judge said that Alesha had woken up and spoke to him. It was bad enough up until that point but to hear that was really hard. The fact that he gave her his hoodie because she was cold, she probably felt safe, it honestly nearly made me cry. I don't know how her family must have felt. That poor little girl. It's still hard to fathom.