Two men, Robert O’Brien, 45, and Andrew Kelly, 44, have been handed life sentences for the murder of schoolgirl Caroline Glachan, whose tragic death occurred 27 years ago in Renton, West Dunbartonshire.

The perpetrators were teenagers at the time of the brutal killing in August 1996. O’Brien has been sentenced to a minimum of 22 years before parole consideration, while Kelly faces at least 18 years behind bars. Donna Marie Brand, 44, also found guilty of Caroline’s murder last month, was not sentenced on Monday due to illness.

Judge Lord Braid, in declaring the verdict last month, portrayed the crime as a “brutal, depraved, and above all wicked murder.”

During the ten days of evidence, the court learned that the trio subjected Caroline to a violent attack, involving repeated punches, kicks, and the hurling of bricks or similar items, causing blunt force trauma to her head and body. The perpetrators then pushed or caused her to fall into undergrowth. Her lifeless body was discovered in the river at Place of Bonhill on August 25, 1996 – the day of her mother’s 40th birthday.

The breakthrough in the case came in 2019 when Police Scotland reinvestigated the matter. More than 200 statements were collected from individuals who had not previously spoken to the police. This allowed officers from the Major Investigations Team to discredit the alibis presented by the perpetrators.

Caroline’s tragic story unfolded during the trial, revealing her apparent infatuation with O’Brien. She left her home in Bonhill to meet him at a bridge on the River Leven before midnight. Upon her arrival, she endured a horrific and violent attack. Her lifeless body was found face down in the river the following afternoon, identified by locals through her trainers and a blue Chipie sweatshirt.

A post-mortem examination disclosed that Caroline had suffered at least 10 blows to the head and extensive skull fractures. Although she may have been alive, it was suggested that she was likely unconscious when entering the water.