Aaron Campbell, 16, who abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute has been sentenced to life imprisonment and told he must spend at least 27 years behind bars.
The teenager admitted the crime ahead of sentencing.
Brian McConnachie QC, representing Campbell at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, said the 16-year-old had admitted responsibility for the rape and murder of Alesha, six, in background reports ordered by the judge.
He said: “The most striking thing about these reports is that in the reports Mr Campbell has admitted to responsibility for the rape and murder of Alesha MacPhail.”
Mr McConnachie said the psychologist’s report found that Campbell “presents with a range of traits on the psychopathy checklist and also has a wide range of factors present in relation to potential sexually harmful behaviour”.
He said that Campbell’s upbringing was “less than ideal” but that this was not a mitigating factor.
Aaron Campbell to be sentenced for rape and murder of Alesha MacPhail
He concluded: “In dealing with this matter I would ask your Lordship to have regard to the fact that in imposing the punishment part at this stage it is a punishment part of a significant length undoubtedly which is being imposed upon a child.”
The six-year-old’s body was found in woods on the Isle of Bute on July 2 last year, hours after she was reported missing from the house her father shared with his parents and partner on the island, where the schoolgirl was staying for part of the summer holidays.
Campbell was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow last month where a jury found him guilty unanimously, following a nine-day trial.
He could not be identified during the trial due to his age but following his conviction judge Lord Matthews lifted a ban on revealing his identity.
Sentencing Campbell, Lord Matthews said he was a cold and calculated individual who had shown “not a flicker of remorse” during the trial.
He said: “You went into the house and then her bedroom, you removed her from there and took her to a secluded spot where you raped and murdered her in the most brutal fashion.
“It’s difficult to imagine the distress her family must have suffered.”
Judge Lord Matthews said social work and psychologist reports “had painted a clear picture of a cold, callous, calculating, remorseless and dangerous individual”.
He said Campbell had shown a “staggering lack of remorse” and told the teenager: “Not once did I detect a flicker of emotion from you”.
Lord Matthews said no sentence he could pass would alleviate the anguish of Alesha’s family.
He sentenced him to life and ordered him to serve at least 27 years behind bars but warned he may never be released.
After the sentence was read out family members shouted “evil” and “beast” as Campbell was led down to the cells.
