The mother of a 16-year-old boy accused of abducting and murdering Alesha MacPhail contacted police after the child’s body was found, a court heard.
Detective Constable Gavin McKellar told the High Court in Glasgow that the teenage boy voluntarily spoke to officers at around 1am on July 3 at his home.
The lad’s mum had been drinking when she phoned Rothesay police station in the early hours of the morning after Alesha’s body was discovered.
She told cops her son had been out of the house in the early hours of July 2, which was captured on CCTV.
Read more: Alesha MacPhail murder trial in Glasgow hears from man who found schoolgirl's body
The accused was described as “confident” and “very co-operative” by PC McKellar and asked his mum to leave the room while he spoke to officers.
In a statement given to police, as a witness, the teen said he left his house in the middle of the night to buy cannabis resin and took a shower after returning home as he was “really stoned”.
He said he realised he had lost his phone, so went back out.
He concluded the statement telling officers he did not go to the MacPhail family home and said if they didn’t believe him “they could have my DNA”.
At the time no mention was made of Ms McLachlan or having sex with a girl the evening before Alesha vanished.
The boy said he had contacted Mr MacPhail and four or five other people he knew who sold cannabis to see if he could get any, and left the house on Ardbeg Road at about 2am.
He said he knew Mr MacPhail was in a relationship with Ms McLachlan but claimed he had never met Alesha, although he knew his dealer had a little girl.
The accused said he walked through Skeoch Wood, between Rothesay and Ardbeg, to avoid police, and walked past the site of an abandoned school before heading to meet a dealer where he bought ‘pollen’ for £30.
He told police he “liked taking showers” while high as it cooled him down, and said: “I take a shower when I’m stoned - baked”.
A police officer, PC David Grant, recalled being called to the MacPhail household after Alesha was found to be missing.
He described the child’s gran, Angela King, as being “panicked” and blaming herself for leaving the key in the door.
And he recalled being met by Alesha’s dad, Mr MacPhail, and his girlfriend, who was “very concerned and was crying.”
PC Grant said Mr MacPhail appeared to be “in a daze” and was not responding fully to what he was saying, which he believed was as a result of concern for Alesha.
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After the child’s body was found around 9am the officer was told about a knife being found on a beach opposite the MacPhail family home, near a bus shelter.
A large kitchen knife with a black handle and a grey oval inset was shown to the jury on screens in the courtroom.
The trial continues.
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