Couple found guilty of murdering schoolgirl Caroline Glachan to appeal conviction

A man and a woman convicted of the murder of Caroline Glachan almost thirty years ago, a date has been set for their appeal.

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

The pair are appealing against their conviction for the murder of teenager Caroline in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, in August 1996.

Their legal teams believe the duo, who were given life sentences along with co-accused Robert O’Brien, were wrongly convicted of the murder of 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 take place at a procedural hearing last month.

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

Kelly was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years, while O’Brien was told he would have to serve a minimum of 22 years.

Earlier this year, judge Lord Braid said O’Brien – who was 18 at the time and in a relationship with Caroline – was the “main perpetrator” but that Brand and Kelly were responsible on the basis of “art and part”.

He described the murder as “brutal, depraved and above all evil”.

In Scots law, ‘art and share’ refers to the ‘aiding and abetting’ of any crime.

It covers anyone who “aids, encourages, advises, induces or incites another person to commit an offence”, under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Passing sentence on O’Brien, Lord Braid said: ‘There is no evidence that you took part in the attack itself. Nevertheless, the jury must have found that you intended to inflict homicidal violence on Caroline.

‘It was caused by Mr O’Brien and you must bear the consequences.

‘The jury must have accepted that you threatened her because you were angry that she was seeing Mr O’Brien when you were in a relationship at the time.

“You went there knowing violence would be committed against her.”

Lord Braid added: “Whilst I accept that you took no active role in the attack, the fact remains that you share equal responsibility in leaving Caroline face down in the river while she was still alive.

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

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

During the trial, the jury heard that she was “in love” with O’Brien.

On the night of her murder, they had agreed to meet at a bridge over the Leven River around midnight.

She was later killed in what prosecutors described as a “horrific and violent attack.”

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

Her body was found hours later by a passerby.

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

The appeals court official also confirmed that Brand is appealing the minimum term she must serve before being eligible for parole.

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