Teenager's 'reckless act led to ecstasy girl's death'
- Published
Callum Owens said he and Grace Handling had one pill each from a bag of nine
A teenager supplied a schoolgirl with ecstasy in "a reckless act that led to her death", a court has heard.
Callum Owens admits giving 13-year-old Grace Handling a pill on 28 June 2018 from a bag of nine he had bought.
The schoolgirl was later found dead in 19-year-old Mr Owens' house in Irvine, North, Ayrshire.
Mr Owens denies culpable homicide, but a prosecutor at the High Court in Glasgow has urged a jury to convict him.
Alex Prentice QC said the trainee chef was guilty of recklessly supplying Grace with ecstasy.
'Knew the risks'
However, defence QC Donald Findlay said the decision to take the drug "was nobody's choice bar Grace's".
He added that the 13-year-old knew the potential consequences because "she had taken the same risk time after time after time".
Mr Findlay said: "Sadly, Grace knew what she was doing. She knew the risks. She had been warned.
"On June 28, 2018 she voluntarily consumed ecstasy with the most tragic of consequences, but how then does that mean he killed her?
"She was 13, but look at the experience of life she had to draw on.
"At the moment Grace swallowed the tablet she knew the risks and was prepared to take those risks - you can't lay that at Callum Owens' door."
Grace Handling's body was found in Callum Owens' home
Earlier, Mr Owens gave evidence and told the jury that Grace came to visit him at about 19:00 or 20:00 on 28 June 2018.
He was asked by Mr Findlay if he had ecstasy tablets and he replied: "Yes. I think it was nine. They were on a plastic bag on the windowsill in the living room.
"Grace and I were just sitting listening to music and chatting.
"She asked if she could take one and I said I might as well take one too. To my knowledge she took one and I took one.
"She went over to the bag and took two from the bag, took one herself and gave one to me."
Mr Owens told the court the effects of the drug kicked in and he eventually fell asleep on the floor with Grace nearby.
'I was just scared'
He said he later woke up to find her not breathing. "She was cold to the touch and her eyes were open," he said.
The teenager told the jurors that he splashed water on his face and then went back into the living room and tried to apply CPR to Grace without success.
Mr Owens then left the house, taking the remaining ecstasy tablets with him.
He said he expected to find seven pills in the plastic bag but there were only five, which he said he threw away.
Mr Findlay asked him: "Were you aware of Grace taking another two pills, " and he replied: "No."
When asked why he did not phone an ambulance, the police or his parents, he replied: "I was just scared."
Mr Owens was asked why he told the police he had given the pills to Grace and he said: "I just felt responsible because they were mine and it was in my house."
The jury has now retired for the night to consider its verdict.
Judge Lord Matthews told members: "Take as long as you need."
- Published9 September 2020
- Published8 September 2020
