Grace Handling: Teenager 'told police he gave pills' to ecstasy death girl

Grace Handling's body was found in Callum Owens' home

A teenager accused of killing a 13-year-old girl by supplying her with ecstasy admitted to police he had given her pills, a court has heard.

Callum Owens, 19, was interviewed by officers the day after Grace Handling's body was found at his home in Irvine, North Ayrshire, on 28 June 2018.

Det Sgt Euan Bell said Mr Owens told him: "I sold her the pills. No, wait. I didn't sell the pills, I gave her them."

Mr Owens denies culpable homicide.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that he admitted to the officer that Grace had been at his home the night before she was found dead.

Medical help

During the interview, he was asked if he carried out CPR on Grace and he said he had.

The teenager was then asked if he had attempted to seek medical help for the schoolgirl. He replied: "No."

Pathologist Dr John Williams, who carried out a post-mortem examination of Grace on 4 July 2018, told the court that the cause of death was ecstasy intoxication.

Dr Williams said Grace had suffered a fine linear skull fracture and a blood sample revealed a very high level of ecstasy and a trace of cannabis.

He said: "It would be in keeping with taking ecstasy and then the girl collapsing onto the ground."

The trial had previously heard that Grace told a friend she had taken pills

The pathologist added that Grace's skull at the point where the fracture occurred was thin.

Defence QC Donald Findlay asked Dr Williams why the schoolgirl died, and he replied: "The most significant finding is the very high level of ecstasy in the blood."

Forensic toxicologist Denise McKeown was also asked by Mr Findlay about the level of ecstasy in Grace's blood.

The QC said: "It was in a range that could be fatal not just to a child, but to an adult," and Dr Williams replied: "Yes."

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.