The mother of a teenager murdered 27 years ago has said she is “over the moon” that justice has been done for her daughter as two of the killers were jailed for life.

Robert O’Brien, 45, Andrew Kelly, 44, and Donna Marie Brand, 44, were last month found guilty of killing O’Brien’s 14-year-old girlfriend Caroline Glachan in August 1996, after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

We reported earlier that O’Brien and Kelly were jailed for life. Brand was unable to attend the sentencing hearing as she was in hospital with a respiratory infection and will be sentenced in March, the court heard.

 

Speaking outside the court on Monday, Caroline’s mother Margaret McKeich said: “This is the day that I’ve been waiting for for 27 years.

“It was more than what I was hoping for, I’m really, really happy. I’m just sad that the other one is not here to get her comeuppance but she’ll get it in March.

“Today I couldn’t have wished for more, the outcome, the whole thing. I am over the moon.

“It’s not going to bring Caroline back but it’s justice for her. I don’t know if closure is the right word but justice has certainly been done.”

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

During the trial, Mrs McKeich said her daughter was “infatuated” with O’Brien but she did not approve of the relationship as he was a few years older.

She said her daughter had previously disclosed that O’Brien had “lifted his hands to her”.

Dr Turner, a forensic pathologist, told the court the 14-year-old was still alive when she went into the water and the ultimate cause of death was drowning.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

Lord Baird said that while O’Brien was only 18 at the time of the attack, the fact that he went on to have several convictions including one for attempted murder, and the “brutal premeditated nature” of the attack against Miss Glachan, meant there were no mitigating factors.

He said Kelly was 16 at the time of the murder and that while he also had subsequent convictions, his age and the fact he played a lesser role in the incident provided some mitigation.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

Ian Duguid KC, representing O’Brien, said the 45-year-old’s life was blighted by heroin from the age of around 16.

He said O’Brien had described Caroline’s death as an “absolute tragedy”.

Mr Duguid added: “He fully appreciates the nature of what has taken place but he continues to maintain that he and his co-accused were not the people responsible.”

Ronnie Renucci KC said drugs had also blighted the life of Kelly, who he represents, and had urged the judge to take into consideration his age at the time of the offence.