Teenage psychopath Aaron Campbell (mugshot pictured), who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail, was subject to the SNP’s Named Person scheme when he killed her
Child killer Aaron Campbell was a known offender who was being monitored by authorities, a secret report reveals.
The teenage psychopath, who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail, was subject to the SNP‘s Named Person scheme.
His offending meant he was referred to youth justice programmes but it fell short of triggering official protocols for tackling ‘sexually harmful behaviour’ [SHB] – which are now under review.
The Mail can reveal that the full report on Campbell’s past has been kept secret for ‘data protection’ reasons – and council chiefs sparked anger last night after refusing to launch a major investigation, as they do not believe one is needed.
Last night, Alesha’s uncle, Calum-John MacPhail, said: ‘We knew nothing of any warning signs about Campbell’s past.
‘There should be a full investigation to find out if opportunities were missed to save Alesha. We had no idea before this that there were any markers or concerns about Campbell – apart from unconfirmed rumour – and I’m angry about that.
‘There has to be a full Significant Case Review and we need to find out what happened to prevent any future tragedies.’
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘The killing of Alesha MacPhail is one of the most horrific crimes to have taken place in Scotland.
‘We should stop at nothing to get to the bottom of why it happened and how it could have been prevented.’
Little Alesha MacPhail was raped and murdered at the age of just six on the Isle of Bute
Campbell, now 17, was 16 when he was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 27 years in March this year for the abduction, rape and murder of Alesha – later cut to 24 years.
Alesha was on holiday visiting family in Rothesay on Bute in July last year when he entered her home and took her from her bed.
The teenager savagely killed her and dumped her body in the grounds of a former hotel.
Trial judge Lord Matthews said Campbell had shown ‘a staggering lack of remorse’ and that his account of the killing had been ‘cold-blooded and horrific’.
Argyll and Bute Council’s child protection committee (CPC) found the murder could not have been ‘foreseen’.
Its summary report was ‘published to include information which can lawfully be placed in the public domain’, and the council made clear a full-scale Significant Case Review (SCR) would not take place – even though such reviews are common in high-profile cases.
Pictured: Alesha’s father Robert outside Glasgow’s High Court during Campbell’s murder trial
Campbell was known to social services and had taken part in ‘low-level’ offending before killing Alesha.
The report revealed he had a Named Person, which meant a childcare professional monitored his development – an initiative since dropped by the Scottish Government.
The CPC’s ‘learning summary report’ said: ‘There is evidence of good multi-agency communication between the professionals involved.
‘Working relationships were strong and information was shared appropriately with agencies having good awareness of the care plan.
‘Social work liaised with education services, who played a key role as named person in supporting and monitoring X [Campbell].’
It also found ‘information was shared across partners and again the role of the Named Person was understood by those agencies involved’.
The report notes that ‘where the decision was for the Named Person to intervene, this was undertaken and information shared with social work and police when appropriate’.
It said: ‘While X’s offending was considered to be low-level and within the company of peers, the decision was taken to refer him to a Youth Justice Service on two occasions.
‘On both occasions he engaged well and this intervention was proportionate to his offences.’
While the review claimed that the killer’s ‘behaviours did not reach the threshold for implementing Argyll and Bute’s SHB protocol, the review group considered that this would be an appropriate time for the protocol to be updated in line with the current updating of CPC protocols and procedures’.
But the report said the review group is ‘of the view that there was no indication that agencies could have foreseen or predicted X’s offending behaviour’.
There have been claims that heavy cannabis-user Campbell started carrying a knife, even at school, and he had used it to torture and kill cats.
Georgina Lochrane, Alesha MacPhail’s mother, is pictured outside Glasgow’s High Court during her daughter’s killer’s murder trial in February
Cleland Sneddon, chairman of Argyll and Bute chief officers group for public protection, said: ‘In a community as tight-knit as Bute, local people and service professionals alike were shocked and upset by Alesha’s murder. Our drive is to do all we can to protect children.
‘We therefore went beyond what is required from an initial review and carried out a thorough, multi-agency assessment of what happened.
‘This robust process has evidenced that a crime of this nature could not have been foreseen.
‘Given the extensive and thorough nature of the multi-agency assessment, it is our view that the initial review has covered everything that would be expected to be assessed by an SCR.
‘We will use the work of our initial review to support ongoing development of child protection practices.
‘Our thoughts continue to be with Alesha’s family and everyone affected by her loss.’
Last night, Scottish Labour justice spokesman James Kelly said: ‘These reports about issues being raised about Aaron Campbell are extremely concerning.
‘Questions need to be asked about why the matter was not progressed to a SCR.
‘It is important that the Named Person system is properly used and that all those coming under Named Person scope are monitored closely.’
A post-mortem examination revealed Alesha had suffered 117 injuries. It concluded that her death was caused as a result of forceful pressure to her neck and face.
Last month the SNP said that it was still committed to the controversial Named Person scheme – despite scrapping it.
Officials claimed that ministers’ support remains ‘undiminished’ for the ill-fated policy, even though Education Secretary John Swinney revealed earlier this year that the hated scheme would be ditched.
The plan was ruled largely unlawful by the Supreme Court in London in July 2016 over concerns about information-sharing between agencies.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Our sympathies continue to be with the family of Alesha MacPhail for their dreadful loss.
‘The local child protection committee undertook an initial review into the circumstances of this tragic case.
‘While that did not find any evidence that this crime could have been foreseen, the local authority has confirmed that it will review local procedures in light of the findings.
‘We are also considering whether there is any national learning arising from the review.’