Murder trial hears Scots teen was unconscious but alive when she entered water

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scottish teenager allegedly murdered 27 years ago sustained at least 10 “significant blows” to her head which rendered her unconscious before she entered into a river, a pathologist told jurors.The body of 14-year-old Caroline Glachan was discovered in the river Leven, near Place of Bonhill in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, on August 25 1996.Three people: Robert O’Brien, 45; Donna Marie Brand and Andrew Kelly, both 44; are on trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of murdering the schoolgirl.Prosecutors claim the three arranged to meet Caroline at a bridge on the towpath, beside the river between Renton and Bonhill where they are alleged to have assaulted her, shouted and swore and repeatedly kicked and punched her on the head or body.It is claimed the trio threw bricks or “similar instruments” causing blunt force injuries to her head and body, before pushing, or causing her to fall into the river and ultimately murdering the 14-year-old.All three accused have pled not guilty and lodged special defences of alibi.On Tuesday morning, the jury head evidence from Dr Marjorie Turner, a forensic pathologist who completed a post-mortem examination on Caroline following her death.She told the court that the ultimate cause of the teenager’s death was drowning, however, it was likely that she was already unconscious before she fell into the river.“Her lungs showed classical features of drowning.

In addition, she had significant injuries with a number of blunt force injuries to her head and skull,” Dr Turner said.“These injuries were likely to have caused her to lose consciousness.”Advocate Depute Alex Prentice asked: “Would the loss of consciousness be rapid?”She replied “potentially” given the number of “significant blows”