A 16-year-old boy has admitted raping and murdering six-year-old Alesha MacPhail in Scotland, after he denied it during his trial.

Aaron Campbell has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 27 years at Glasgow's High Court.

He was convicted on Thursday February 21st.

The teenager abducted her at knifepoint from her grandparent's home on the Isle of Bute in July 2018.

He then carried her half a mile to a woodland clearing, where she was raped and smothered to death.

Pathologist John Williams told the trial that Alesha suffered 117 separate injuries.

The teenager denied having ever met Alesha during his trial, despite the fact traces of his DNA were found on the six-year-old's neck, shorts, vest and her private parts.

He claimed the DNA was planted from a condom, and lodged a complaint blaming Toni McLachlan, the girlfriend of Alesha's father for the attack.

His defence claimed the semen was "planted" on the six-year-old.

The order of service for the funeral of Alesha MacPhail in July 2018 | Image: Lesley Martin/PA Archive/PA Images

Asked about the attack during his trial, he said: "I've never met Alesha MacPhail in person.

"I didn't even know her name until everything that happened."

Campbell could not be identified during the trial due to his age, but Judge Hugh Matthews lifted the ban after his conviction.

Judge Matthews said the teenager had to stop himself laughing at points during his trial, and showed a "breathtaking lack of remorse" throughout.

He added that it was "a terrible thing to say of one so young" but evidence had shown Campbell was a "cold, callous, calculating, remorseless and dangerous individual".

Judge Matthews added that the "rehabilitation" and "reintegration" of Campbell were "remote possibilities".

Alesha was days into a summer holiday with her father Robert MacPhail and grandparents Angela King and Calum MacPhail when she was taken by Campbell.

After a jury found him unanimously guilty, Alesha's mother Georgina Lochrane said: "Word cannot express how devastated I am to have lost my beautiful, happy, smiley wee girl.

"I am glad that the boy who did this has finally been brought to justice and that he will not be able to inflict the pain on another family that he has done to mine."

Ms Lochrane shouted after Campbell was sentenced: "Disgusting, vile litle f****** rat."

Main image: Aaron Campbell is seen in this undated photo | Image: Police Scotland