Mother gives evidence at murder trial after son saw girl "battered"
Then four year old Archie told his mother he saw a girl fall into the River Leven, the day before Caroline Glachan's body was found
A mother has recalled her son’s description of an altercation at the River Leven on the night of Caroline Glachan’s murder.
Elizabeth Wilson, who gave evidence at the High Court in Glasgow, had left her son Archie – then aged four - in the care of Andrew Kelly and his then girlfriend Sarah Jane O’Neill while she visited her sister on the night of August 24 1996.
The 53 year old described how her son had told her he had seen a “lassie” get “battered” and then fall into the water, after being taken down to the river by O’Brien, O’Neill and Donna Marie Brand.
She told the court: “He said that they were down the Leven...that they were fighting with the lassie, that she had ended up falling in and that they had battered the lassie."
"They had battered the lassie"
The four year old had added the girl was wearing a Chipie brand jumper, which jurors earlier heard Caroline had been found in.
Miss Wilson said she had been “a bit sceptical” when her son had first told her what he had seen, until she saw the news of Caroline’s injured body being recovered the next day.
She added the boy told her “she got hit on the back of the head with something."
When asked how she felt when she saw a body had been found, Miss Wilson replied: “Scunnered”.
Robert O’Brien, Andrew Kelly, and Donna Marie Brand are on trial where they deny murdering 14 year old Caroline Glachan, of Bonhill West Dunbartonshire.
"She got hit on the back of the head"
Miss Wilson was spoken to by police in 1996, and Archie was later interviewed too, the footage from which was shown to jurors.
The 53 year old was then spoken to again in 2020, and told officer that she knew what her son had said was “important” but added: “I will be honest. I did not want him involved”.
Speaking about the morning after when she returned home, Miss Wilson described how Kelly had been alone on the couch with the children, and wearing shorts.
He claimed Archie had urinated on his trousers and the floor, but the child later stated the floor had been “soaking” and someone had been sitting on it.
Archie said O'Brien had also been in the house. Miss Wilson believed she was sure the boy stated it was O'Brien who had been "wet".
Neighbour's concern
Miss Wilson’s neighbour, Linda Dorrian also gave evidence, stating she had felt “concern” when she became aware of two males and two females going out with Miss Wilson’s children sometime between 11pm and midnight.
Miss Dorrian recognised two of the group as Sarah Jane O’Neill and her “boyfriend”, saying there was a “lot of shouting” when the group returned later.
The witness then added she could not be 100%, but believed Sarah Jane stated: "That was out of order. That was not meant to happen".
She was also said to have remarked: "That was a set up".
Miss Dorrian recalled it going "very quiet" shortly after that.
The trial, before Lord Baird, continues on Tuesday.