Man recognised dead schoolgirl from new trainers

The body of a schoolgirl discovered in a river 27 years ago was recognised from her trainers, a trial has heard.

Daniel Mullen said a man spotted the shoes on Caroline Glachan when she was found in the River Leven in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, in August 1996.

Forensic pathologist Dr Marjorie Turner said the 14-year-old had sustained at least ten blows to her head.

Robert O’Brien, 45, Andrew Kelly and Donna Marie Brand, both 44, deny murder.

Mr Mullen, now 55, recalled a man had alerted him to something in the river when he had been cycling nearby at about 16:10 on Sunday 25 August.

He told the trial at the High Court in Glasgow that the man had asked: “Is that a mannequin?”

The witness said he noticed a pair of trainers on the body because they were brand new.

When he held them up, another man with him said: “Caroline Glachan has a pair the exact same.”

Mr Mullen then made a 999 call to the police.

He went on to say that people “knew who it was because of the training shoes”.

Caroline’s body was recovered from the river with the help of a police diving team.

Caroline’s body was found on the banks of the River Leven in August 1996

Dr Turner told the jury Caroline had suffered extensive injuries to her scalp, face and neck sustained from blunt force trauma.

She said the most severe injuries were consistent with being caused by a blunt weapon, though others were capable of being caused by punching and kicking.

Mr O’Brien, 45, is charged with previously assaulting Caroline in various places in West Dunbartonshire, while he and Ms Brand, 44, are both accused of previously evincing malice and ill will towards the schoolgirl.

The charge sheet says they and Kelly, also 44, shouted and swore at her, punched and kicked her on the head and body, threw bricks or similar instruments at her and caused blunt force injuries to her head and body with instruments unknown to the prosecutor.

It alleges the three, acting with another person, caused Caroline to fall into the undergrowth rendering her unconscious and they pushed her into the river and murdered her.

Mr O’Brien, Mr Kelly and Ms Brand claim they were elsewhere at the time of Caroline’s death.

The trial continues.