A Hebridean community has commemorated the memory of a teenage boy whose body was found in their village.
In December 2012, the death of 16-year-old Liam Aitchison sparked the Western Isles’ most intense alleged murder inquiry for 40 years.
Two Lewis youths, both aged 21, were arrested and now face trial after being charged with Liam’s murder.
Jonathan Alexander Mackinnon, of Stornoway, and Stefan Norquay Macleod Millar, of Carloway, are currently detained on bail awaiting court proceedings.
Shocked villagers in Steinish, where Liam’s body was discovered by searchers, later set up a fund in his memory.
On Monday, Steinish resident Christine Harbourne presented the first donation of £500 to the Stornoway-based Western Isles Foyer - an island organisation helping young people who face challenges taking their first steps into adulthood.
Foyer clients voted to buy a communal games console with the money and dedicated a plaque in Liam’s memory.
Ms Harbourne said: "We wanted to mark his memory because, this child, the thought of this child, it affected everyone in our village.
She added: "A lot of us are mothers and grannies and we were horrified at what happened and especially to one so young."
Liam was from Lochboisdale in South Uist - where his mother Mairi and infant sister Rebecca stay - but was spending time on his father's home island of Lewis since leaving secondary school in the summer.
He was laid to rest with his electric guitar on top of his coffin in Hallan Cemetery in Daliburgh, on his home island of South Uist. Despite the weather, hundreds of mourners, including a vast number of former classmates and friends, turned out to pay their last respects.
Liam’s sister Natasha said the family was "very grateful" to the wider community and particularly the Steinish village for their help at the time of Liam’s death.
She said Steinish villagers "were so wonderful. I don’t think there is anything else we could have asked off them."
Natasha said the donation to the Foyer project was very appropriate as it helps youths like Liam.
To leave a comment, please sign in.