Caroline Glachan trial: First pictures of three accused of ‘murdering’ teenager.
The Scottish Sun newspaper today published the first pictures of three people accused of murdering a schoolgirl on the banks of the River Leven at Renton almost 30 years ago as the hearing of evidence in the trial was completed.
Robert O’Brien, 45, Andrew Kelly and Donna Marie Brand – both 44 – are charged with taking the life of Caroline Glachan on August 25 1996 at the River Leven in West Dunbartonshire.
Andrew Kelly, left, is one of three people on trial at the High Court in Glasgow charged with the murder of 14 year old schoolgirl Caroline Glachan in 1996. Donna Marie Brand, pictured right, is also standing trial in the case, which is estimated to finish next week. Robbie O’Brien, the third accused is pictured above right. O’Brien, Kelly and Brand all deny murdering Caroline, of Bonhill and each has lodged a special defence of alibi.
The final witnesses in the two-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow were heard as O’Brien’s counsel Ian Duguid KC completed his case for O’Brien’s defence.
Both Kelly’s counsel, Ronnie Renucci KC and Thomas Ross KC, defending Brand, stated they would not be leading any evidence for either person.
The judge, Lord Braid, told the jury: “The evidence is now complete. The next stage will be speeches from the Crown and each of the defence lawyers.”
Caroline’s mother, Margaret McKeitch, had been the first witness at the case and described how her daughter had come to meet O’Brien and that she had challenged him over the fact that Caroline was so much younger than him.
And then another mother, Betty Wilson, told the court how her four year old son, Archie, came to her on the day Caroline’s body was found and revealed that he had witnessed a “lassie” getting “battered” and falling into the river.
It later emerged that day – August 25 1996 – that the body of Caroline Glachan, 14, had been found in the River Leven in West Dunbartonshire.
Top picture: The now demolished Black Bridge between Renton and Bonhill, where the incident happened. Picture by Bill Heaney