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

[HayLouise]

11:25KEY EVENT
CCTV 'shows shadowy figure moving along shoreline carrying something'
The court has been shown CCTV footage from the Rothesay area.

CCTV coordinator DC Lisa Whitelaw is giving evidence at the High Court.

She says the footage appears to show a “shadowy figure” moving along the shoreline.

Jurors are told the figure “slows down and appears to be carrying something in front of them”.

DC Whitelaw tells the court something appears to be “hanging down” at the front of the figure as it moves.

Knife 'missing' from home of teen accused of Alesha MacPhail murder

 

[Taskforce88]

I'd imagine more DNA evidence will be coming, probably this afternoon. However, if this is the strongest evidence they've got it's not very convincing honestly...

I mean don't get me wrong the accused's overall behaviour - and the other evidence so far - is fairly damning but I think they'll need something a bit heavier today. Especially when the defence gets a chance to start planting doubt in the jury's mind.

They more damning evidence will come last

 

[Caroclaud]

They more damning evidence will come last

I hope so- I am waiting for fingerprints in the house (I’ve heard no mention of gloves so far) so I would expect them to be at least a random accidental print somewhere as he left carrying a body?

Also waiting for DNA on Aleshas body, that will be the most incriminating, I am hoping with a 7 hour post mortem this picked up some evidence.

Otherwise it’s not looking as strong as I imagined?

 

[HayLouise]

Det Insp Monica Haggerty says she attended at accused’s house on 4 July 2018 with colleagues to arrest him. He was taken to Helen Street police station in Glasgow for intvw

Det Const Ian Wilson tells court accused asked for solicitor to be present during police interview. Repeatedly said “no comment” to questions & assertions. When charged with Alesha’s murder, said “no comment”

CCTV being played in court from system on shore front at Marine Place, Rothesay. DC Lisa Whitelaw, cctv coordinator recorded re one piece of footage: ‘figure slows down & appears to be carrying something in front of them’

DC Lisa Whitelaw tells court re cctv she can see something hanging out the front of the figure as they walk - it looks as if there’s something hanging down at the front.

James Matthews (@jamesmatthewsky) | Twitter

 

[Pooksthebear]

Court info is coming out slow, wonder if the discussions around the cctv cannot be reported in case it identifies the accused?

 

[Taskforce88]

Could the knife etc have been left by accused while carrying Alesha along the shore?

 

[HayLouise]

12:05

What does the accused deny?

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies abducting, raping and murdering the six-year-old on the Isle of Bute.

He also denies attempting to hide evidence.

Alesha’s body was discovered on the island in the Firth of Clyde on July 2, 2018.

Jurors have heard she had 117 separate injuries.

Knife 'missing' from home of teen accused of Alesha MacPhail murder

 

[stephaniejanes]

Could the knife etc have been left by accused while carrying Alesha along the shore?

Unsure of precise location but I considered perhaps it was dropped whilst carrying Alesha along the shore. Perhaps whilst running didn't realise where is was dropped and didn't want to risk stopping to look for it in the darkness.

 

[beatrixpotter]

£30 will translate into different weights depending on a number of factors. I suspect £30 of pollen from a dealer on an island would be substantially less that £30 worth of the same on the mainland.

I'd be curious about the following - everyone reacts differently to alcohol and drugs singularly, but this can be significantly more pronounced when the two are used in combination. The accused's mother stated that he had drank a bottle of wine "and MD 20/20" (although we don't know how much MD 20/20 was consumed). MD 20/20 is a particularly strong fortified wine (not dissimilar to Buckfast). This mixture of alcohol would undoubtedly cause substantial intoxication in a 16 year old. Drugs added to this mix would significantly increase the effects.

His mother sat around and watched her underage son drink alcohol. And not only that watched him drink a crazy amount of alcohol and as far as we know did nothing about it? Is that normal somewhere that I'm not aware of?

 

[Alyce]

Could the knife etc have been left by accused while carrying Alesha along the shore?

That's my take - it was found on the beach in the area outside the McPhail home - I think it was discarded as no longer being needed by that point - even before the person began their walk/run along the shore road.

 

[Badabing]

Court info is coming out slow, wonder if the discussions around the cctv cannot be reported in case it identifies the accused?

Yeah was just about to post the same was thinking that myself.

 

[stephaniejanes]

Yeah was just about to post the same was thinking that myself.

Perhaps they're describing the "figure" on the CCTV and can't give out info? Unsure... really slowed down and can't be lunch yet when Court only began at 10.30.

 

[Alyce]

Court info is coming out slow, wonder if the discussions around the cctv cannot be reported in case it identifies the accused?

Yeah was just about to post the same was thinking that myself.

Agree it seems very slow today, compared with last week - and yet we know there are plenty of journos in court, so they must be restricted in what they can report.

 

[Alyce]

Unsure of precise location but I considered perhaps it was dropped whilst carrying Alesha along the shore. Perhaps whilst running didn't realise where is was dropped and didn't want to risk stopping to look for it in the darkness.

Good point. If he got straight onto the beach/shore as soon as he left McP home, then could have dropped knife almost immediately ( as opposed to my earlier thought that he threw it away ).

 

[Badabing]

I’m not too sure how court order works. Does the prosecution give they’re case in full and after that the defence will pick holes in the evidence and basically cast reasonable doubt after they are aware of the prosecutions evidence in full ?

 

[Bluedaisy100]

Did he tell his mother how much he drank or did she see him drink that much? If she asked how much did you drink and he said such and such. He could have easily exaggerated how much he drank for all sorts of excuses. Any information from him is not reliable.

 

[Edinlass]

Connor Gillies - Twitter

Police officer talks the jury through her assessment of the CCTV of the accused leaving and entering his property during the night. Court watched this same footage last week.

 

[HayLouise]

Re cctv at accused’s house in early hrs 2 July 2018, Advocate-despite Iain McSporran QC counts 32 secs between 1st floor light going on and accused leaving house. DC Lisa Whitelaw agrees if he had a shower it couldn’t have been a long shower

James Matthews on Twitter

 

[Alyce]

I’m not too sure how court order works. Does the prosecution give they’re case in full and after that the defence will pick holes in the evidence and basically cast reasonable doubt after they are aware of the prosecutions evidence in full ?

Yes, more or less. The Defence will have been trying to pick holes in the evidence via their cross examination of the Prosecution witnesses.
Then, when it's their turn to present their case, they will produce any evidence they have to show why their client is not guilty - and refer back to any inconsistencies they have already highlighted in the Prosecution case.

 

[Caroclaud]

I’m not too sure how court order works. Does the prosecution give they’re case in full and after that the defence will pick holes in the evidence and basically cast reasonable doubt after they are aware of the prosecutions evidence in full ?

Generally the defence has to pick holes in the prosecutions witnesses as you go along, as you can’t call them back usually.
So far I dont think the defence has had much to object to or to undermine from the reporting, I’ve seen.... I would have thought they would try and say the CCTV isn’t clear enough, or the clothes on the beach could be anyone’s etc....haven’t said much really.