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| Alesha MacPhail murder: Child killer Aaron Campbell's QC grateful to judge | Alesha MacPhail murder: Child killer Aaron Campbell's QC grateful to judge |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The lawyer who represented child killer Aaron Campbell says he is grateful for the comments of the trial judge who commended his professionalism. | The lawyer who represented child killer Aaron Campbell says he is grateful for the comments of the trial judge who commended his professionalism. |
| Brian McConnachie QC is forbidden from discussing his work with the teenager who abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail. | Brian McConnachie QC is forbidden from discussing his work with the teenager who abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail. |
| But he welcomed the remarks of judge Lord Matthews who made clear he did not make up Campbell's defence. | But he welcomed the remarks of judge Lord Matthews who made clear he did not make up Campbell's defence. |
| The 16-year-old was jailed last week for at least 27 years. | The 16-year-old was jailed last week for at least 27 years. |
| Alesha was killed on 2 July last year while she was on holiday on the Isle of Bute. | Alesha was killed on 2 July last year while she was on holiday on the Isle of Bute. |
| Campbell denied the crime throughout his nine-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow and told the jury he had never met the child. | Campbell denied the crime throughout his nine-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow and told the jury he had never met the child. |
| The killer even lodged a special defence of incrimination in which he blamed 18-year-old Toni McLachlan. | The killer even lodged a special defence of incrimination in which he blamed 18-year-old Toni McLachlan. |
| But when the schoolboy returned to the dock to be sentenced last week it emerged he had finally admitted the rape and murder. | But when the schoolboy returned to the dock to be sentenced last week it emerged he had finally admitted the rape and murder. |
| Sentencing Campbell, Lord Matthews highlighted the role of the defence during the distressing case. | Sentencing Campbell, Lord Matthews highlighted the role of the defence during the distressing case. |
| Lord Matthews told Campbell: "Mr McConnachie has said all that could be said on your behalf, entirely in keeping with the exemplary way the trial was conducted on both sides of the bar. | Lord Matthews told Campbell: "Mr McConnachie has said all that could be said on your behalf, entirely in keeping with the exemplary way the trial was conducted on both sides of the bar. |
| "All matters of fact which could reasonably be agreed were agreed and the issues were well focused and laid before the jury. | |
| "As I said to the jury after they returned their verdict, Counsel do not make up defences but present the case on the basis of their instructions. | "As I said to the jury after they returned their verdict, Counsel do not make up defences but present the case on the basis of their instructions. |
| "It is obvious what your instructions were and your evidence was entirely in keeping with them, albeit it was a tissue of lies." | "It is obvious what your instructions were and your evidence was entirely in keeping with them, albeit it was a tissue of lies." |
| Speaking to BBC Scotland's The Nine in his first broadcast interview since the trial, Mr McConnachie welcomed the comments. | Speaking to BBC Scotland's The Nine in his first broadcast interview since the trial, Mr McConnachie welcomed the comments. |
| The QC said he hoped the judge speaking out would "perhaps helps to educate the public in the way that the system works" | The QC said he hoped the judge speaking out would "perhaps helps to educate the public in the way that the system works" |
| He added: "I am sure there are plenty of people who would take the view that it is the solicitor or the advocate who decides what the defence is going to be and makes it up for the accused and, of course, that could not be further from the truth. | He added: "I am sure there are plenty of people who would take the view that it is the solicitor or the advocate who decides what the defence is going to be and makes it up for the accused and, of course, that could not be further from the truth. |
| "It was very welcome to hear a judge making the kind of comments that he did. At the time I was very grateful to him." | "It was very welcome to hear a judge making the kind of comments that he did. At the time I was very grateful to him." |
| The QC also gave an insight into the legal process and explained advocates are allocated clients and instructed by solicitors using the "cab rank rule". | The QC also gave an insight into the legal process and explained advocates are allocated clients and instructed by solicitors using the "cab rank rule". |
| Mr McConnachie added: "You can't refuse a case because, for example, you don't like the look of the accused or because you don't like the subject matter or anything of that nature." | Mr McConnachie added: "You can't refuse a case because, for example, you don't like the look of the accused or because you don't like the subject matter or anything of that nature." |
| And he stressed the client alone, despite the advice of their advocate, has the final say on whether they plead guilty or not. | And he stressed the client alone, despite the advice of their advocate, has the final say on whether they plead guilty or not. |
| The Alesha MacPhail murder is rare in that Campbell denied the crime throughout the trial but then admitted it when he was interviewed for the pre-sentencing reports. | The Alesha MacPhail murder is rare in that Campbell denied the crime throughout the trial but then admitted it when he was interviewed for the pre-sentencing reports. |
| Asked if he had encountered such a scenario in a career spanning three decades, Mr McConnachie replied: "I can't recall that happening before." | Asked if he had encountered such a scenario in a career spanning three decades, Mr McConnachie replied: "I can't recall that happening before." |
| But he said it was not his job to judge clients accused of committing terrible crimes. | But he said it was not his job to judge clients accused of committing terrible crimes. |
| "It's not my job, it's not any solicitor's job or any advocate's job to decide whether or not a person is guilty or innocent," he said. | "It's not my job, it's not any solicitor's job or any advocate's job to decide whether or not a person is guilty or innocent," he said. |
| "In High Court cases there are 15 people, namely the jury, who will determine that fact. | "In High Court cases there are 15 people, namely the jury, who will determine that fact. |
| "If you as the representative of that person started carrying out that process, then whichever way you went you would not be doing your job properly." | "If you as the representative of that person started carrying out that process, then whichever way you went you would not be doing your job properly." |
| Mr McConnachie also admitted he is not affected by personal criticism or criticism of his his profession. | Mr McConnachie also admitted he is not affected by personal criticism or criticism of his his profession. |
| And he said he considered it a "privilege" to be part of a process that ensures that justice is done and the accused person has had a fair trial. | And he said he considered it a "privilege" to be part of a process that ensures that justice is done and the accused person has had a fair trial. |