Who are Caroline Glachan’s killers Robert O’Brien and Andrew Kelly?

FOURTEEN-year-old schoolgirl Caroline Glachan's assemblage was discovered connected the banks of the River Leven successful 1996.

BBC documentary Murder Trial: Girl successful the River delves into the horrific case, which went unsolved for a 4th of a century.

Caroline Glachan had conscionable waved goodbye to her friends erstwhile she was bludgeoned to decease and dumped successful the River Leven connected 25 August, 1996.

Her battered assemblage was discovered successful the h2o the pursuing time by a cause addict — her trainers had been placed connected the riverbank successful Renton, West Dunbartonshire.

The schoolgirl’s decease became 1 of Scotland’s astir high-profile unsolved cases.

‘Waiting for a breakthrough’

Caroline's mum Margaret McKeich antecedently said: "I americium conscionable waiting for that sound connected the doorway telling maine determination has been a breakthrough.

"I ideate that script each the clip and deliberation astir what it would beryllium like.

"The acold lawsuit squad are looking astatine it with a caller brace of eyes and starting from the opening truthful determination is simply a batch for them to get through."

In 2016, the lawsuit was reopened connected the 21st day of her death, with constabulary issuing a caller entreaty for information.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Grainger said: “I would similar to convey the members of the nationalist who person assisted with our probe and those who person travel guardant with important accusation surrounding Caroline’s death.”

In November 2021 Robert O’Brien, Andrew Kelly and Donna Brand were charged with Caroline’s murder.

Her mum Margaret said cops “couldn’t person fixed maine a amended Christmas”.

Long-awaited trial

In November 2023, the long-awaited proceedings took spot astatine Glasgow’s High Court.

Robert O’Brien, O’Brien, Kelly and Brand yet faced execution charges 27 years aft Caroline’s tragic death.

The trio were recovered to person repeatedly punched, kicked and thrown bricks oregon akin items astatine the teenager, causing blunt unit trauma to her caput and body, earlier pushing her into the river.

Sadly, a 4th fishy passed distant earlier authorities could apprehension her.

In December 2023, O'Brien, 46, and Kelly, 45, were found blameworthy of sidesplitting O'Brien's 14-year-old girlfriend pursuing a proceedings astatine the High Court successful Glasgow.

They were some fixed beingness sentences, with O'Brien to service a astatine slightest 22 years and Kelly astatine slightest 18 years.

Donna Marie Brand, 45, was besides sentenced to beingness down bars with a minimum of 17 years.

Scum of the earth

Speaking to The Scottish Sun earlier sentencing, Carole's mum said: “They are scum of the earth.

"They’ve conscionable been retired for themselves with a full disrespect for life, I person full contempt.

“I’m hoping that the justice gives them a precise lengthy condemnation due to the fact that that’s what they deserve. I anticipation they rot successful prison.

“I would anticipation that they ne'er ever get out. They’ve had 27 years of freedom.

"They volition service a condemnation and past get out. It volition ne'er bring Caroline back.

“But I service a beingness sentence. I person to unrecorded my beingness without a daughter."

Who is Robert O'Brien?

Robert O'Brien was 18 years aged astatine the clip of the schoolgirl's murder.

He was Caroline's fellow and had a past of unit towards Caroline.

Her parent disapproved of the property quality and said that helium had antecedently "lifted his hands to her".

He was described arsenic the main perpetrator successful the murder, utilizing "extreme violence" connected the teenager.

Addressing O’Brien during sentencing, Judge Lord Braid said: “Nobody who heard the grounds of the pathologist Dr Marjorie Turner could neglect to beryllium sickened by her descriptions of the injuries caused by you.”

Who is Andrew Kelly?

Andrew Kelly was 16 years aged erstwhile the execution took place.

During sentencing the justice said that portion Kelly played a lesser relation successful the murder, helium inflicted “murderous violence” connected the teen.

He said: “Caroline was a person of life, but owed to some of you Caroline has been deprived of the accidental of surviving that life, becoming an adult, having children, fulfilling the imaginable she had.

“You person taken a girl from a loving mother. Mrs McKeich has spoken of the symptom that Caroline’s decease has caused, the void her decease has near that volition ne'er beryllium filled.

“She has been deprived of seeing the pistillate that Caroline would person become. No condemnation that I walk could perchance marque up for what she has lost.”

Murder Trial: Girl successful the River volition aerial connected BBC Two astatine 9 p.m. connected Wednesday, January 29, 2025.