UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -*arrest* #4

[Mamamiamaria]

I am sorry to have seen his photo, as a mother to boys close in age he could be any one of them or their friends coming in and out of my house every day. Of course I didn't expect him to "look" like a monster but he is so normal looking it is distressing to see.

It takes a lot for most people to harm an animal or child imo. If he were guilty of this crime against a girl his own age there could almost be some understanding of the crime. What drives a 16 year old to inflict such injuries on a tiny child is a whole different thing and something I cannot understand.

Sometimes people are born bad and circumstances/luck dont provide a solid reason for their actions.

 

[404_notfound]

Removal is most definitely happening in Scotland and England for those seen as a danger to other people in the home. You can elect to have your child removed from your care.

Yes i know people who have done it, one waited four months for a child who had broken two of her toddler's ribs to be removed.

 

[L White]

Yes i know people who have done it, one waited four months for a child who had broken two of her toddler's ribs to be removed.

Not all local authorities are the same.

 

[404_notfound]

Not all local authorities are the same.

Very true. Most people, luckily, never have to find out how good, or bad, their own LA is at these things.

 

[Vevvie]

I am sorry to have seen his photo, as a mother to boys close in age he could be any one of them or their friends coming in and out of my house every day. Of course I didn't expect him to "look" like a monster but he is so normal looking it is distressing to see.

It takes a lot for most people to harm an animal or child imo. If he were guilty of this crime against a girl his own age there could almost be some understanding of the crime. What drives a 16 year old to inflict such injuries on a tiny child is a whole different thing and something I cannot understand.

Sometimes people are born bad and circumstances/luck dont provide a solid reason for their actions.

It’s scary and agree it’s distressing. How could someone that age even think of doing what he’s done. The thought process.

Most young boys these days are on games with their mates, you’d never imagine any of them coming up with an idea like this. Awful.

 

[L White]

Very true. Most people, luckily, never have to find out how good, or bad, their own LA is at these things.

I suppose one of the very small positives for this case is if these stories of his past ARE accurate- that questions are asked not only locally, but nationally, on how this could possibly be prevented in the future from earlier intervention.

Edit - I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, it is diabolical that this happened to Alesha.

 

[404_notfound]

I suppose one of the very small positives for this case is if these stories of his past ARE accurate- that questions are asked not only locally, but nationally, on how this could possibly be prevented in the future from earlier intervention.

Edit - I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, it is diabolical that this happened to Alesha.

Definitely not being taken wrong by me, i wholeheartedly agree. And also if it makes one more beaten down parent struggling with an increasingly out of control child and having doors shut in their faces by the LA left and right PUSH HARD for help before something terrible happens then that's for the good too. It will be interesting to see in the coming days what comes out about him and what, if anything, his parents, school, health board and LA actually did about it.

There are ways and means but as i've said above, even the help available can be so immensely difficult to access. We are lucky to face different difficulties and be really well placed to attack them, so it's not a tactic i resort to, but when he took to the dock and said his mother had a "drinking problem" i thought, "If you were mine I would too!"

 

[Yenriac]

I see one of the tabloids has also released a picture of his mum today. No one needs to know what she looks like. IMO

 

[claralara]

I've just been catching up on the trial and verdict. What a bizarre story he concocted to try and get off free. He definitely comes across as quite calculating.

It always shocks me when the offenders in these types of horrible case are good looking, I always subconsciously think they're going to be covered in warts and boils like a Halloween costume witch or something.

I have so much sympathy and sadness for Alesha and her family and for Aarons family too, how awful it must be to know your 16-year-old son was capable of such abominable crimes.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Let's take a moment to remember beautiful little Alesha. I'm sick of reading about that animal.

 

[Owlpellet]

Okay, final unanswered questions before I’m calling it a day with all this:

Did he really not know about DNA? Why did he dispose of all his contaminated clothes but leave so much evidence at the crime scene? Was he relying on no one suspecting him, dna sweeps not including someone so young, his mother never checking the cctv or contacting the police? He took some time to come up with his ridiculous defence. What are people's thoughts on this?

 

[Owlpellet]

Let's take a moment to remember beautiful little Alesha. I'm sick of reading about that animal.

Yes indeed. But I don’t think any of us ever forgot her.

 

[TaylorCallum]

Okay, final unanswered questions before I’m calling it a day with all this:

Did he really not know about DNA? Why did he dispose of all his contaminated clothes but leave so much evidence at the crime scene? Was he relying on no one suspecting him, dna sweeps not including someone so young, his mother never checking the cctv or contacting the police? He took some time to come up with his ridiculous defence. What are people's thoughts on this?

I still don't understand this either. Surely he must have known his DNA would have been left on Alesha? It's very strange. Although the type of person to carry out such a horrific act probably wasn't thinking rationally so who knows. Or maybe he planned on going back and disposing of her body at a later point? I'm with you though, it doesn't make sense that someone who was cautious about trying to dispose of evidence e.g. clothing, would be so careless at the actual crime scene.

 

[truthseeker1975]

I think judge will send him to a hospital so he can be best monitored and observed, it will probably take years for him to even admit it in prison or a hospital, but it should be part of his, if ever future chance of release, and i would almost think he could get a whole life sentence, what do people think he will get come sentence day ?

 

[stephaniejanes]

I still don't understand this either. Surely he must have known his DNA would have been left on Alesha? It's very strange. Although the type of person to carry out such a horrific act probably wasn't thinking rationally so who knows. Or maybe he planned on going back and disposing of her body at a later point? I'm with you though, it doesn't make sense that someone who was cautious about trying to dispose of evidence e.g. clothing, would be so careless at the actual crime scene.

Probably thought that since his DNA wasn't held by the police, then how would they place and connect him. He may have thought if he disposed the clothing he wore then he had nothing connecting him to Alesha (which is kinda true). I think he displayed forensic awareneness but not sophistication. Also, perhaps he didn't understand touch DNA, maybe he thought it was only in bodily fluids or blood. Who knows...

 

[Owlpellet]

I still don't understand this either. Surely he must have known his DNA would have been left on Alesha? It's very strange. Although the type of person to carry out such a horrific act probably wasn't thinking rationally so who knows. Or maybe he planned on going back and disposing of her body at a later point? I'm with you though, it doesn't make sense that someone who was cautious about trying to dispose of evidence e.g. clothing, would be so careless at the actual crime scene.

I wonder if he intended disposing of her body when he left in swimshorts? That’s what they look like to me after watching the pier jumping. Maybe he was interrupted.

 

[Gardenista]

Okay, final unanswered questions before I’m calling it a day with all this:

Did he really not know about DNA? Why did he dispose of all his contaminated clothes but leave so much evidence at the crime scene? Was he relying on no one suspecting him, dna sweeps not including someone so young, his mother never checking the cctv or contacting the police? He took some time to come up with his ridiculous defence. What are people's thoughts on this?

Maybe his plan all along was to frame TM

 

[Kiranerys]

Okay, final unanswered questions before I’m calling it a day with all this:

Did he really not know about DNA? Why did he dispose of all his contaminated clothes but leave so much evidence at the crime scene? Was he relying on no one suspecting him, dna sweeps not including someone so young, his mother never checking the cctv or contacting the police? He took some time to come up with his ridiculous defence. What are people's thoughts on this?

I personally think it was his arrogance,he didn't think anyone would suspect him so it didn't matter if he left his DNA,he clearly thought it would never get as far as him being tested,and he is obviously used to getting away with really bad things so he figured this was no different? JMO

 

[Joolz1975]

Yes i know people who have done it, one waited four months for a child who had broken two of her toddler's ribs to be removed.

I had major problems with my son as a teen (thankfully he is amazing now).

But one social worker was telling me he was a risk to my younger child and couldn't stay at home..the other was telling me that I had parental responsibility to house him lol.

They even wrote saying they had made home visits to assess...They never once set foot in my home.

Totally useless and I work for the LA so I don't normally bad mouth them.

Luckily family stepped in and he stayed with them for a while but it could have been so much worse.

For the record I don't think he would ever have hurt us sister, but is behaviour for a time was risky.

And I did everything I could to get help..there was very little.

 

[TaylorCallum]

Probably thought that since his DNA wasn't held by the police, then how would they place and connect him. He may have thought if he disposed the clothing he wore then he had nothing connecting him to Alesha (which is kinda true). I think he displayed forensic awareneness but not sophistication. Also, perhaps he didn't understand touch DNA, maybe he thought it was only in bodily fluids or blood. Who knows...

Yep, that makes sense too. If his mother hadn't have handed the CCTV footage in who knows where we'd be right now. Do you think the police would have gotten around to him? I know it's been said that the police often blamed him for things but I wonder if he would have been questioned and forced to give a DNA sample. Yeah true, but wouldn't he have realised that semen constituted a bodily fluid and would be easily testable? But I think you're right, he probably just had a basic awareness.

I wonder if he intended disposing of her body when he left in swimshorts? That’s what they look like to me after watching the pier jumping. Maybe he was interrupted.

He very well could have. I think they are as well.