Ecstasy death girl Grace Handling 'told friend she took three blue pills'

Grace Handling died at a house in Irvine in June 2018

A schoolgirl who died after allegedly being supplied with ecstasy told a friend she had taken three blue pills, a court has heard.

Grace Handling, 13, died at a house in Irvine, North Ayrshire, on the day her school broke up for the summer in 2018.

Prosecutors state that her death was a consequence of ingesting the drug given to her by Callum Owens.

Mr Owens, 19, is on trial at the High Court in Glasgow where he denies culpable homicide.

Grace's friend told the court that she spoke to her on the phone at about 20:00 on 28 June 2018.

She said: "She couldn't get any of her words out, she was slurring her words.

"She told me she had took three blue pills. I knew she meant ecstasy. She said she was at home, but I could tell she wasn't."

No reply

Prosecutor Alex Prentice asked the witness if she questioned Grace about where she got the drugs, and the 15-year-old replied: "She wouldn't tell me. She said she didn't know."

The schoolgirl said she later tried to contact Grace by text and phone but got no reply.

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked the girl if she knew Grace had previously taken ecstasy and she said: "Yes, not regularly but she had done it a few times."

The court heard a friend of Grace say she had previously taken ecstasy

The QC then said: "Did you see her take the pills or did she tell you," and the schoolgirl replied: "A combination."

Mr Owens, from Irvine, denies the culpable homicide of Grace by recklessly and unlawfully supplying a lethal drug to her on 28 June 2018 .

He is also accused of being concerned in the supply of ecstasy from addresses in Irvine and at Largs train station between 25 and 29 June 2018.

'I gave her the pills tho'

Alisha McLean, 18, from Stevenston in North Ayrshire, told the court she had received messages from the accused regarding Grace on Facebook messenger at about 15.00 on 29 June 2018.

He wrote: "Oft I'm going probably never coming back" before revealing that he thought he had killed someone.

Ms McLean, who was a friend of Mr Owens, questioned him on this, and he replied: "They chocked on their sick in my gaff."

She then asked: "U never killed them then," and Owens told her: "I gave her the pills tho."

The jury heard Mr Owens begged his friend not to hate him and said the death had scarred him.

When asked by Ms McLean who had died, he told her it was "Wee Grace Handling", before adding: "Tried to give her CPR and everything she actually died in my arms.

"It's all my fault. I'm surprised I'm no greeting yet. She was just a wee lassie."

Reported missing

The court heard that Grace's sister, Danielle Handling, 20, had contacted Mr Owens on Facebook messenger in the morning on 29 June 2018 to ask if he knew where Grace was.

He denied knowing her whereabouts and said she left his home at 21.00 the previous evening.

Earlier, Grace's mother Lorraine Handling, 47, told the court that her daughter had been at Troon beach with friends on 28 June 2018.

Mrs Handling said she picked her up from the beach at 15:45 because it was too hot for her fair-skinned and red-haired daughter.

She said Grace had a shower, changed her clothes and ate a cheese salad before going out again at 17:00.

Mr Prentice said: "How was she?" and Mrs Handling replied: "She was good, she was fine."

Alcohol problem

The prosecutor then asked: "Did she appeared intoxicated," and she said: "No, absolutely not."

Mr Prentice said: "Was that the last time you saw her," and Mrs Handling replied: "Yes."

The court heard that Grace did not return home and her parents phoned round her friends before reporting her missing the next day.

Mr Findlay asked Mrs Handling: "You are aware your daughter Grace died because of the effects of a drug on her?" She replied: "I was told it was MDMA - ecstasy."

The QC added: "Were you aware she had taken ecstasy prior to June 28, 2018," and Mrs Handling replied: "She told me she had taken it once. I didn't know if she had. She told me she took it and she wasn't very well."

Mr Findlay asked Mrs Handling if she had told police that she believed Grace had taken ecstasy twice. She replied: "Yes, I thought she had. I was never 100%."

Mrs Handling admitted that her daughter self-harmed and had an alcohol problem.

Mr Findlay asked her: "Were you aware Grace had tried to commit suicide," and she replied: "I don't think it was a suicide attempt. I think she was just crying out for help."

The trial before Lord Matthews continues.