Irvine teenager denies killing 13 year-old girl by supplying Ecstasy

A teenager, accused of killing a schoolgirl from Irvine by supplying her drugs, told a friend he gave her Ecstasy pills and she died in his arms.

Callum Owens, 19, denies the culpable homicide of 13-year-old Grace Handling at his home in Irvine in June 2018.

His friend Alisha McLean, 18, from Stevenson, told the High Court in Glasgow that she received messages from Owens on Facebook messenger the day after it happened.

He began by saying: “Oft I'm going probably never coming back,” and minutes later revealed: “Killed a **** man.”

Ms McLean asked Owens “How,” and he replied: “They chocked on their sick in my gaff.”

She then asked: “U never killed them then,” and Owens told her: “I gave her the pills tho.”

The jury heard that Owens begged his friend not to hate him and said the death had scarred him.

Owens when asked who was dead in his house replied: “Wee Grace Handling,” and added: “Tried to give her CPR and everything she actually died in my arms. It's all my fault. I'm surprised I'm no greeting yet. She was just a wee lassie.”

Ms McLean told Owens: “It wasn't you tho she took it.” She then suggested that Owens should phone the police and claim he found her lying outside his house.

Later on in the chat Owens stated: “I feel asleep and she choked on her whitey. It's all my fault.”

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked Ms McLean: “Is whitey vomit,” and she said: “Yes.”

Mr Findlay then asked: “Does he say that he fell asleep and his impression is she had choked in some way and he thought she was dead. He started to do something about it, but there was nothing he could do because he was dead,” and Ms McLean replied: “Yes.”

Grace's sister Danielle Handling, 20, told the court she and her mum warned he about the dangers of ecstasy in February 2018 - four months before her death.

The chat took place after one of Grace's friends was admitted to hospital after taking Ecstasy.

Ms Handling said: "Me and my mum gave her a hard time about taking them and she stopped taking them."

Defence counsel Donald Findlay asked Miss Handling if she thought Grace had stopped taking the drug.

She said: "Yes, I was sure she stopped taking it."

The court heard Ms Handling contacted Owens on Facebook messenger on the morning of June 29 to ask if he knew where she was.

Owens told her they were together the night before, but denied knowing her whereabouts.

He said: "She was at mine, I left about 9 and so did she, dunno where she went."

The trial before Lord Matthews continues.

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