Three to be sentenced for murder of schoolgirl Caroline Glachan in West Dunbartonshire 27 years ago

Two men and a woman will be sentenced on Monday for murdering a teenage schoolgirl in West Dunbartonshire 27 years ago.

Robert O’Brien, 45, Andrew Kelly and Donna Marie Brand, both 44, killed Caroline Glachan close to her home in Renton in August 1996.

She had suffered blunt trauma to the head and drowned.

Judge Lord Braid condemned the actions of the trio as he remanded them into custody at the High Court in Glasgow following their convictions in December.

He told all three they had been found guilty of a “brutal, depraved and above all wicked murder”.

STV News

The day Caroline’s body was discovered by police – August 25, 1996 – was her mother Margaret McKeich’s 40th birthday.

Mrs McKeich told the media outside court it was a “great day” to see her daughter’s killers convicted.

She said: “This is a day we never thought would happen.

“I would like to say a big thank you to Detective Inspector Stuart Grainger and all of the police who worked on the case over the years.

“I just don’t know what to say. This has been a great day. I can’t sum up how I feel.

“It will not bring her back, but at least we know who was responsible is serving time because for the last 25 years, they’ve had their Christmases and birthdays, but my Caroline has been in the ground.”

The jury unanimously convicted O’Brien, Kelly and Brand of Caroline’s murder.

Their trial was previously told Caroline had been punched, kicked and struck repeatedly with bricks and other instruments to the head, and was either pushed or fell into the River Leven near Place of Bonhill, Renton.

The trio had denied murder and each lodged a special defence of alibi.

When they were led down to the cells, a relative of Brand shouted: “I will fight to my last breath to get you out.”