Trio charged with Caroline Glachan murder accused of throwing bricks at her

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Three people charged with murdering 14-year-old schoolgirl Caroline Glachan are accused of kicking and punching her, and throwing bricks at her before pushing her into the River Leven.

Robert O’Brien, 44, Andrew Kelly, 43, and Donna Marie Brand, 43, are accused of murdering the Bonhill teenager on August 25, 1996 in Renton.

They have pleaded not guilty.A preliminary hearing took place at Edinburgh High Court on Friday, where Lord Braid fixed a two-week long trial to take place in November 2023.Details of the charge have been revealed for the first time, with prosecutors claiming that on various occasions, between June 1 1996 and August 25 1996, O’Brien, who is originally from Dumbarton, assaulted Caroline at locations in Dunbartonshire.These include Balloch Country Park and Renton, Vale of Leven and “elsewhere in Dunbartonshire.”It is alleged that on those dates, O’Brien assaulted Caroline by punching, slapping her face and by placing his hands around her neck and compressing her throat.Prosecutors claim that he pushed Caroline, a pupil of Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School in Dumbarton, against a wall before forcing her arm up her back.

It is alleged that he then threatened her with violence.Prosecutors claim that on August 25 1996, at the towpath beside the River Leven between Renton and Bonhill, the three accused “whilst acting together” arranged to meet Caroline at a nearby bridge.It’s alleged that the three accused assaulted Caroline, shouted and swore at her and repeatedly punched and kicked her on the head and body.Prosecutors claim that the trio threw bricks or “similar instruments” causing blunt force injuries to be inflicted to her head and body.It’s claimed that they caused her to fall into undergrowth and