Jury urged to convict man of killing Irvine teenager by supplying Ecstasy

A prosecutor has urged a jury to convict a trainee chef of killing 13-year-old Grace Handling by recklessly supplying her with Ecstasy.

Alex Prentice QC told jurors in his closing speech at the trial of 19-year-old Callum Owens, who denies the culpable homicide of Grace at his home in Arran Place, Irvine, on June 28, 2018, that they should return a guilty verdict.

At the High Court in Glasgow Mr Prentice said: “Grace went to his house and he supplied her with a potentially lethal drug. That was a reckless act and that led to her death. I invite you to convict him on culpable homicide.”

Defence QC Donald Findlay said: “This was nobody's choice bar Grace's. Sadly Grace knew what she was doing. She knew the risks. She had been warned.

“On June 28, 2018 she voluntarily consumed Ecstasy with the most tragic of consequences, but how then does that mean he killed her.

“She was 13, but look at the experience of life she had to draw on, At the moment in time she took the Ecstasy tablet from her fingers and put it in her mouth she knew what she was doing because she had taken the same risk time after time after time.

“At the moment Grace swallowed the tablet she knew the risks and was prepared to take those risks – you can't lay that at Callum Owens door.”

Earlier, Owens gave evidence and told the jury that his friend Grace came to visit him around 7pm or 8pm on June 28, 2018.

Owens was asked by Mr Findlay if he had Ecstasy tablets and he replied: “Yes. I think it was nine, They were on a plastic bag on the windowsill in the living room.

“Grace and I were just sitting listening to music and chatting.

“She asked if she could take one and I said I might as well take one too. To my knowledge she took one and I took one.

“She went over to the bag and took two from the bag, took one herself and gave one to me.”

Owens told the court the effects of the drug kicked in he eventually fell asleep on the floor with Grace nearby. The jury has heard that the house had carpets, but no furniture.

Owens then said he woke up and added: “She wasn't breathing. She was cold to the touch and her eyes were open.”

He told the jurors that he splashed water on his face and then went back into the living room and tried to apply CPR to Grace without success.

Owens then left the house taking the remaining Ecstasy tablets with him.

He said he expected to find seven pills in the plastic bag, but there were only five, which he said he threw away.

Mr Findlay asked Owens: Were you aware of Grace taking another two pills, “ and he replied: No.”

When asked why he did not phone an ambulance or the police or his parents for Grace he replied: “I was just scared.”

Owens was asked why he told the police he had given the pills to Grace and he said: “I just felt responsible because they were mine and it was in my house.”

Prosecutor Alex Prentice withdrew the charge against Owens of supplying Ecstasy between June 25 and 29, 2018 and Lord Matthews formally acquitted of that charge.

The trial continues.

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