My 27 years waiting to face my daughter’s killers

Margaret McCich turned 40 that day when his only child was murdered on the banks of a river near Lomond – but he was able to face his daughter’s killers 27 years ago.

Caroline’s body, which was 14 years old, when her life was taken, lay down in a morgue for six months as the detectives fought to secure success.

But when the funeral of the schoolgirl was eventually held at Bonhill, West Dunbartshire near her house, the teenage criminals were still on a large scale.

The names of Prime suspects were widely broadcast in the local community at the time, but it would be about three decades until they appeared in front of a jury.

A new two-part BBC documentary, Murder test: Girl in riverIn one of the most high-profile cold cases in Scotland, the final chapter was allowed to film.

It captured the major moments inside the High Court in Glasgow-from the video testimony of a four-year-old boy who Saw a deadly attack For dramatic decisions.

Caroline’s mother Margaret attended court during a two -week test.

He told the program: “I think I have to stay there every day and I think I have to see them on the face.”

During an interview at his office, prosecutor Alex Prantis Casey revealed that the case was now strong in the 1990s, thanks to fresh witness testimony.

New evidence was exposed after the re -examination of the case by the police scotland’s leading investigation team, which was launched in 2019.

As a result, Robert O’Brien, Andrew Kelly and Donna Mary Brand were arrested in November 2021.

The three, the late Sarah Jane O’Neel, were suspicious in 1996, but did not have enough evidence to arrest and charge them.

The main reason was that they all strictly clung to the same Alibi and told the officials that they spent the murder night in a flat in Allen Crisant, Renton – from where Caroline’s body was found.

The original inquiry was also interrupted by the culture of fear about speaking out, especially near O’Bheen’s family, the police described as “too much control” in the area.

When the test was opened on 27 November 2023, the prosecutor called Margaret the first witness.

As she was standing only at a distance of yards from the accused, she told the jury that the 14 -year -old Caroline was “infamous” with O’Brien, who was 18 at the time.

He said that he did not approve the relationship.

He died at night, Caroline invited his best friend Joan Meenziz for a sleep at his home.

But later he stopped meeting O’Brien by Black Bridge, which added Bonhill and Renton.

The teenager planned to return to her mother before returning out of her birthday night, but there was no sign of caroline when Margaret reached home.

He told the court: “I was sitting and waiting. I called the round friends and finally, the police.”

The officials told him the next afternoon that he found a dead body on the banks of Leven in Renton.

Mr. Prantis asked if Margaret had formally identified his daughter.

Her husband, Allen and Caroline’s father, William saw in a public gallery, as a blind emotional Margaret told the court: “I did.”

Speaking at her home, Margaret later explained how the teenager brightened her life after a series of abortion.

“I lost five before Caroline,” she said.

“She was special in many ways.”

The worker of the former shop also admitted that due to the vastness of his loss, there were also happy moments with grief.

The documentary shows the testimony of a police diver, including harassing the video footage of Caroline’s body in the river.

Pathologist Dr. Marjori Turner told the jury that the victim established a “extreme fracture to the skull” after being hit with a weapon.

The expert said, “She was still alive when she was in water.”

Mr. Prantis told the program that the person who had provoked the injuries was not fully responsible for Caroline’s death.

“They all left him,” they said.

“Nobody thought to get him out of the water and help him.”

The most chilling proof in the trial came from a video interview with Archie Wilson, which was just four at the time of murder.

The night Caroline died, Archie and his two-year-old brothers were with their “babyitors”, Andrew Kelly and his girlfriend Sarah Jane O’Neel-who died in 2019.

A month after the murder, the four -year -old told the police that “Robbie” hit Caroline with a pole “Leven”.

The boy confirmed that it was dark and said: “They have no street lights there.”

Later in the interview, he recalled that “there was a metal in his eye”, a sensitive detail detectives said that only a living experience could be known.

The child’s witness then told the officials: “When he was pushed into the water, I closed my eyes.”

Mr. Prantis admitted that he was surprised that no more was made from the interview at that time, but he suspected that there was not enough additional evidence to build the prosecution case.

The documentary also had important new evidence of Linda Dorian, who lived in a flat above Archie’s mother.

She was waiting on a film to start at Akash at midnight when she saw the three accused and O’Neel left the flat.

They were pushing a small car and catching on the Archie side.

This is the first time someone testified that the group was out of the flat when Caroline died.

When he returned after about an hour, Ms. Dorian heard an uproar and “Welling”, which frightened his 10 -year -old daughter.

He also remembered that O’Neel said: “It should not have happened.”

Ms. Dorian’s daughter, Emma McGinley, told the jury that she was worried about the mess.

Asked if she could be wrong, she replied: “I remember. That night bothers me. And I don’t forget anything like that.”

When the defense case was found under O’Brien, 45, decided to give evidence.

She told the jury that she had sex with Caroline, despite the fact that she was four years younger and a minor.

He said that he had a “profitable friend” relationship for about a month before his murder.

Margaret shook his head as soon as he spoke and later branding his comment “absolutely disgusting”.

He told the program: “I think he feels physically ill.

“It is difficult to hear and should not be able to say it: ‘How did you dare?”. “

After the evidence of a fortnight and then the speeches were discontinued, the 15-member jury was sent out to consider its decision.

The discussions continued for three days before the reorganization of the court and Forewuman gave three unanimous decisions.

O’Brien looked stunned and nodded his head.

Kelly and the brands were less animated, but also reacted with mistrust.

In the public gallery, Margaret removed his glasses and wiped tears.

Judge, Lord Brad, told the killers: “You have been convicted only as a cruel, unholy and, at the top, what can be described in the form of evil murder.”

He then postponed the sentence for criminal justice social work report.

When the court embraced Mr Prantis to Margaret in a waiting room and said to the prosecutor: “I could not wish a better decision”.

He said: “I will love this man forever.”

Outside, he told reporters that the verdict would not bring his daughter back, but at least the responsible people were behind bars.

He said: “He has lived his life for the last 25 years and he has his Christmas and birthdays and my carine was in the ground.

“This is a day that we never thought that we will see and now I think Caroline can rest in peace.”

In January last year, O’Bheen and Kelly returned to the dock and were sentenced to 22 years and 18 years respectively.

The brand, which missed the hearing through the disease, was Jail for 17 years In April.

Margaret’s long wait for justice was over, but the pain of its loss never goes away.

He told the documentary: “People say that time is going to be an ointment. The time is not going to apply an ointment.

“There is a emptiness that is never going to be filled.”