Couple found guilty of murdering schoolgirl Caroline Glachan in appeal against conviction

A man and woman convicted of this crime A date has been set for an appeal into the murder of Caroline Glachan almost 30 years ago.

The cases of Andrew Kelly, 44, and Donna Marie Brand, also 44, will be heard at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh on January 15, 2025.

The pair are appealing their convictions for murdering teenager Caroline in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, in August 1996.

Their legal team believes the pair, who were jailed for life along with co-defendant Robert O’Brien, were wrongfully convicted of murdering Caroline, who was 14 when she died.

An official at the Court of Criminal Appeal confirmed that a judge had arranged for the January 2025 hearing to be held in a procedural hearing last month.

The trio were convicted of murder after a two-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow in January. Brand was told he would have to spend at least 17 years in custody before he could apply for parole.

Kelly was ordered to serve at least 18 years in prison, while O’Brien was told he must serve at least 22 years.

Earlier this year Judge Lord Braid said O’Brien, who was 18 at the time and had a relationship with Caroline, was the “main perpetrator” but Brand and Kelly were “artistically and partly” responsible.

He described the murder as “cruel, immoral and, above all, evil”.

In Scots Law, “art and share” means “aiding and abetting” any crime.

Under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 it covers anyone who “aids, abets, counsels, procures or encourages any other person to commit an offence”.

Sentencing O’Brien, Lord Braid said: “There is no evidence that you participated in the attack, but the jury must have found that you intended to inflict lethal violence on Caroline.

“This was done by Mr O’Brien and you must suffer the consequences.

“The jury must have accepted that you threatened Mr O’Brien because you were angry at him for seeing him while he was in a relationship at the time.

“You went there knowing that violence would be used against him.”

Lord Braid added: “Whilst I accept that you played no active role in the attack, you share equal responsibility for abandoning Caroline in the river while she was still alive.

“Your guilt is mitigated by your age at the time, but the harm done is not.”

Caroline’s body was found on the banks of the River Leven on 25 August 1996.

During the trial, the jury heard she was “infatuated” with O’Brien.

They had arranged to meet at a bridge over the River Leven around midnight on the night of the murder.

He was later killed in what prosecutors described as a “horrifying and violent attack”.

Caroline suffered at least ten blows to the head and suffered extensive fractures to her skull. The jury was told he may have been alive but unconscious when he entered the water.

His body was found hours later by passersby.

A murder investigation was launched but no progress was made until the case was re-examined by Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team in 2019. They gathered enough evidence to arrest the trio and bring them to trial.

The appellate court official also confirmed that Brand objected to the minimum term he must serve before being eligible for parole.