Caroline Glachan murder trial hears schoolgirl was attacked with weapon
The pathologist who examined Caroline's body tells court she would likely have been unconscious when she entered the water.
A court's heard a schoolgirl found dead in a river suffered at least 10 blows to the head and extensive skull fractures, a court heard. A pathologist has been telling jurors how she examined the body of 14 year-old Caroline Glachan. Three people are on trial accused of murdering the teenager on August 25 1996.
They are in the dock 27 years after Caroline's body was found in the River Leven in West Dunbartonshire.
Dr Marjorie Turner today gave evidence at the High Court in Glasgow.
The forensic pathologist found the cause of death for Caroline, of Bonhill, also West Dunbartonshire, was head injuries and drowning.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC took the witness through her report and a computer generated image showing injuries the schoolgirl suffered.
Dr Turner told the court Caroline had sustained "obvious blunt force injuries to the face and scalp".
Referring to one, Mr Prentice described it to the witness as a "fairly significant laceration" to the forehead.
Quizzed on other marks in the area, the advocate depute asked what type of trauma could have caused these injuries.
Dr Turner: "A weapon that is fairly long, relatively narrow and has a rough component to it."
Mr Prentice then stated to the pathologist that it appeared Caroline had also suffered "extensive fractures to her skull".
Dr Turner said this could have been as a result of "multiple blows" most likely from a "blunt weapon", but may have involved other violence.
Caroline was also described as having a "complex laceration" at the back of her head as well as bruising to her neck and near her jawline.
In her conclusions, Dr Turner stated a head injury had caused the schoolgirl to "lose consciousness" with "immersion in the water" causing her to drown.
The court heard the indication was Caroline may have been alive as she entered the water, but that it was "extremely unlikely" that she was not conscious.
The pathologist went on to be questioned by the lawyer defending 45 year-old Robert O'Brien - one of the alleged killers, who Caroline had been in a relationship at the time.
Ian Duguid KC, defending, asked if any of the injuries may have been caused while Caroline was in the river.
Dr Turner replied: "Some could, but not the extent of injuries that she sustained."
Questioned further by the defence advocate, the pathologist stated Caroline had sustained "at least 10 blows, but potentially significantly more".
This was to the head area and not including the neck.
Jurors later heard from a witness who had been walking with a friend near the River Leven on the night of August 24 1996.
Andrew Walker - the aged 17 - recalled hearing a female "scream" around midnight.
He told the court: "I just wondered what it was. I knew that it came from the river side.
"I was interested and thought it may be people we knew, so we thought we would go down and see who it was."
Mr Prentice asked was it just a single scream at that stage.
The now 45 year-old replied: "Yes - a few seconds after that there was a kerfuffle, a commotion and then there was a second scream."
Mr Walker described it as "louder". Mr Prentice then asked the witness was anything said.
Mr Walker believed it was something like "I didn't say it" or "I didn't do it".
He told the court this was said between the two screams.
But, Mr Walker stated he did not recognise the voice.
O'Brien along with Andrew Kelly, 44, and Donna Marie Brand, 44, deny murdering Caroline on August 25 1996 and have each lodged a special defence of alibi.
The trial, before judge Lord Braid, continues.
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