Caroline Glachan: Murder trial told boy, 4, saw 'girl in the water'

Caroline Glachan was 14 when her body was found in August 1996

A four-year-old boy told detectives he witnessed an alleged murder victim being attacked and then saw her "in the water".

The High Court in Glasgow heard Archie Wilson was interviewed by officers investigating the murder of Caroline Glachan.

The 14-year-old's body was found in the River Leven in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, on 25 August 1996.

Robert O'Brien, Andrew Kelly and Donna Marie Brand deny murder.

The jury at the High Court in Glasgow was shown video evidence Archie gave to two male police officers in September 1996.

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The boy told police he "saw Caroline in the water."

Asked where he was, the child replied "down the Leven."

The court also heard he said it was dark and he saw someone called Robbie hit Caroline with a stick and a pole.

The witness said he closed his eyes when she was pushed in the water.

The court has already heard that Caroline was in a relationship with Mr O'Brien - who was known as Robbie - and that he was also seeing co-accused Ms Brand at around the time of the schoolgirl's death.

Caroline's body was discovered on the banks of the River Leven more than 27 years ago

Earlier, the trial heard from Archie's mother who said he told her he saw a girl falling into the river.

Betty Wilson recalled Archie also informed her on 25 August 1996 that there had been "a fight with a wee lassie".

She said she had gone to her sister's house and that Mr Kelly, now 44, and his girlfriend Ms O'Neill were babysitting her two children and stayed with them overnight.

The witness said Archie told her he was taken to the river by Mr O'Brien, 45, co-accused Ms Brand, 44, and Ms O'Neill.

She said Archie told her: "There was a fight with a wee lassie and she ended up falling in the Leven and they battered the wee lassie."

Ms Wilson said when she learned Caroline had been found in the river "I realised my wean was telling the truth."

She also said her son told her the girl was wearing a Chipie jumper, the same as she had.

The court has already heard that Caroline had been wearing a dark blue Chipie jumper when her body was found.

Caroline Glachan was in a relationship with Robert O'Brien, who is one of the three accused

Ms Wilson said Archie told her the girl was "hit on the back of the head with something. She was fighting with Donna."

Both the witness and her sister had been a bit sceptical about Archie's account.

But Ms Wilson said he was talking about what he had seen while at her sister's house in front of of two other people who called the police.

Meanwhile, a witness told the trial she heard a woman shouting "that wasn't meant to happen" hours before Caroline's body was discovered.

Linda Dorrian lived above Ms Wilson's flat in the village of Renton.

Between 23:00 and midnight on 24 August she heard voices of people leaving the flat.

She said she heard Ms O'Neill bumping a buggy down the steps.

Ms Dorrian went to the window and told the jury: "I thought it was a bit late for her to be taking the baby (Jamie) out in the buggy."

She added she saw Archie at the side of the buggy.

It was being pushed by Ms O'Neill and her boyfriend, Mr Kelly, and there was a male and female in front of them.

The trial is being held at the High Court in Glasgow

She said when they returned, some time after midnight, she heard Ms O'Neill repeatedly shouting.

The witness said she was not 100% sure of the words but it was something like: "That was out of order. That wasn't meant to happen."

She said the commotion ended and it went quiet. Ms Dorian added: "I was quite frightened. I was in the house myself with my daughter."

Caroline's body was discovered on the riverbank in Renton with extensive injuries to her scalp, face and neck sustained from blunt force trauma.

Mr O'Brien is charged with assaulting Caroline in various places in West Dunbartonshire, while he and Ms Brand are both accused of previously evincing malice and ill will towards the schoolgirl.

The charge sheet says they and Kelly also shouted and swore at her, punched and kicked her on the head and body, threw bricks or similar instruments at her and caused blunt force injuries to her head and body with instruments unknown.

It alleges the three, acting with another person, caused Caroline to fall into the undergrowth rendering her unconscious and they pushed her into the river and murdered her.

The trio claim they were elsewhere at the time of Caroline's death.

The trial, before Lord Braid, continues.