Alesha MacPhail: Murder accused sent Snapchat video of himself saying ‘found the guy who's done it’, court hears

Teenager also sent message 'saying what he thought could've happened'

A teenager accused of abducting, raping and murdering a six-year old girl sent a video of himself to friends with the message "found the guy who's done it", a court heard.

A 16-year-old girl who was good friends with the accused who is the same age, said Alesha MacPhail's disappearance was discussed in a Snapchat group of around 25 friends on Monday 2 July.

The six-year-old schoolgirl had been staying in the house her father shared with her grandparents on the Isle of Bute when was reported missing early that morning.

Her body was found hours later in a wooded area on the island.

The witness told the High Court in Glasgow the accused sent a video of himself in the mirror showing his top half but not his face to the group chat that afternoon, followed by the message "found the guy who's done it".

The witness said she thought it was a "bad joke" but she later told police when it emerged an arrest had been made in the murder inquiry.

She said he also sent messages to the group "saying what he thought could've happened" and "how could (Alesha) have got out the house without anybody noticing in the house".

She agreed other people in the group were contributing "gossip, rumour and speculation".

Questioned by the Brian McConnachie QC, for the accused, she said at the time it was posted she was not aware Alesha had been murdered and agreed others were making comments in poor taste.

He asked her: "If (the accused) had not been arrested, you would have continued to think this was a bad joke?"

"Yeah," she replied.

The video showed the accused in the mirror recording himself saying: "Found where the murderer was hiding" pointing to himself, another one of his friends, also 16, told the court.

The friend also thought it was "a joke" but is now "not sure".

He also told the court he found the accused talking about suicide early on 2 July after a party at his home but left after he seemed better.

The court also heard from another friend of the accused, who said the boy had messaged her at around noon that day asking if she had seen anything and if she had walked her dog that morning as she normally went where Alesha's body was found.

The 16-year-old said: "He started to get anxious and said the police were going to blame it on him."

He told her police always blamed him for things that happened in that area and he was "going to get arrested".

She said she tried to calm him down and "brushed it off" at the time as she knew he suffered from anxiety but later told police.

The witness also showed police messages he sent her in 2017, saying he "might kill 1 day for the lifetime experience".

Other messages said he would probably "stalk her" and "go into her room".

She asked him the chances of getting away with murder with a good plan and he replied: "Well if it was a gd plan then 100%".

She later messaged: "I'm glad I'm not at the top of your hit list." He replied: "No one is."

The teenager agreed these were theoretical exchanges where she brought up the subject of murder and at the time caused her no concern, saying they both had a dark sense of humour.

She also agreed the conversation was "not serious" and "just rubbish".

Another 16-year-old friend of the accused denied providing him with cannabis in the early hours of 2 July.

Earlier, the court heard from a witness statement the accused gave to police saying he had gone to the teenager's house to get the drug.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies abducting, raping and murdering Alesha, and attempting to hide evidence.

The teenager has lodged a special defence blaming Toni McLachlan - the girlfriend of Alesha's father Robert MacPhail - for the killing.

Earlier this week, Ms McLachlan told jurors she "loved" Alesha and had nothing to do with her death.

The trial, before judge Lord Matthews, continues.

Press Association