THE grieving father of a six-year-old girl who was raped and murdered has pleaded guilty at Greenock Sheriff Court to vandalising the property of her killer's family.
Robert MacPhail — whose child Alesha was lured to her death by evil Aaron Campbell — was "overcome by an overwhelming sense of anger and trauma", the court was told.
MacPhail, 30, smashed the window of a parked and empty car belonging to Campbell's mother, Janette, by throwing a rock at it.
His lawyer, Gerry Keenan, said: "It is difficult to envisage something that would engender greater unhappiness than the death of a child, and the way in which the child died.
"Mr MacPhail did not seek out the complainer.
"He had been drinking and was on his way to see a friend.
"As he passed the house he saw items of masonry and he was overcome by an overwhelming sense of anger and trauma.
"His behaviour reflected that anger and trauma."
MacPhail also pleaded guilty to a charge of shouting and swearing.
He committed the offences on July 25 last year.
Killer Campbell's mother helped police in their enquiries to catch her son after he killed Alesha in July of 2018.
Campbell was aged 16 when he took Alesha from her bed, before carrying her to nearby woodland where he raped and murdered her.
His minimum sentence of 27 years was reduced to 24 years on appeal in 2019.
Campbell, now 20, was reportedly rushed to hospital in June this year after apparently being attacked by a fellow inmate at Polmont Young Offenders Institution.
Solicitor Mr Keenan said: "Mr MacPhail understands that he had no basis from which to direct his anger towards [Campbell's family], but one can understand why he did it, although clearly it cannot be excused.
"We are now one year on from the incident and there has been no recurrence."
Keenan added: "Mr MacPhail is doing as well as can be expected, albeit the wound of losing his daughter clearly will never heal.
"He is no longer on the anti-depressants which had been prescribed to him.
"It would be reasonable to assume that what he did is something that is not going to reoccur."
Sheriff Michael Higgins deferred sentence on MacPhail, who committed the offences at an address on Rothesay, until later this year for him to be of good behaviour.
