Alesha MacPhail Murder Trial Begins
11 February 2019, 14:01 | Updated: 11 February 2019, 14:04
A teenager has gone on trial accused of the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl on the Isle of Bute.
The body of Alesha MacPhail was found in woodland on the island in the Firth of Clyde on July 2 last year.
A 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies taking Alesha from her bed, assaulting and murdering her.
A jury was sworn in and the trial before Lord Matthews got under way at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday before being adjourned until Tuesday.
Lord Matthews told the jury the case, expected to last up to two weeks, was likely to cause "strong emotions".
He said: "You have to approach this case with a great deal of professional detachment."
A joint minute of agreed facts was read to the jury before the case was adjourned.
