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Deli owner John Leathem admits murdering Paige Doherty | Deli owner John Leathem admits murdering Paige Doherty |
(35 minutes later) | |
A 32-year-old man is facing a life sentence for the brutal murder of Clydebank teenager Paige Doherty. | |
The 15-year-old's body was found in a wooded area just off Great Western Road on Monday 21 March. She had been stabbed more than 60 times. | The 15-year-old's body was found in a wooded area just off Great Western Road on Monday 21 March. She had been stabbed more than 60 times. |
Paige was last seen alive two days earlier near Delicious Deli in the West Dunbartonshire town's Fleming Avenue. | Paige was last seen alive two days earlier near Delicious Deli in the West Dunbartonshire town's Fleming Avenue. |
At the High Court in Glasgow, deli owner John Leathem admitted murdering Paige. He will be sentenced next month. | |
The court was shown CCTV footage of Leathem in the aftermath of the murder, running in and out of neighbouring shops. | |
He is also seen carrying a bin bag and stowing it in the boot of his car. | |
The court heard that after brutally murdering the schoolgirl, Leathem took his wife and baby daughter on an outing to Balmaha. | |
He also continued to serve customers at the deli in the days before his arrest. | |
CCTV evidence | |
Det Supt Duncan Sloan, who led the inquiry, said CCTV footage had been "vital" to catching Leathem. | |
"Officers painstakingly reviewed hours of footage which ultimately revealed that Paige walked into that shop but didn't leave," he said. | |
"This, coupled with extensive forensic examinations of the crime scenes helped to establish what happened to Paige and who was responsible. | |
"I am sure that the sheer weight of this evidence has led to the guilty plea at court today." | |
The detective added: "Our thoughts remain with Paige's family, whose vibrant, bright young daughter has been cruelly taken away from them at just 15 years of age. | |
"Paige's whole future lay ahead of her and her life has been brutally cut short by the vicious actions of one man." | |
The court was told that Paige, who was 4ft 8in, had left a friend's house in Clydebank on the morning that she was killed. | |
She had gone into the delicatessen, on Fleming Avenue, to buy a roll before travelling to a hairdressers where she worked in Kirkintilloch, about 12 miles away. | |
The alarm was raised later when she did not show up. | The alarm was raised later when she did not show up. |
Missing posters were put up around the town and a dedicated Facebook page was set up to help find her. | Missing posters were put up around the town and a dedicated Facebook page was set up to help find her. |
However, the teenager's body was found two days later in a wooded area just off Great Western Road, less than a mile from the deli. She had been stabbed more than 60 times. | However, the teenager's body was found two days later in a wooded area just off Great Western Road, less than a mile from the deli. She had been stabbed more than 60 times. |
As police launched a murder inquiry, Paige's mother Pamela Munro wrote on Facebook: "We are absolutely devastated, as will many people who know her will be xxx." | As police launched a murder inquiry, Paige's mother Pamela Munro wrote on Facebook: "We are absolutely devastated, as will many people who know her will be xxx." |
Within days of the inquiry beginning, officers had cordoned off the deli, along with a flat in the town's Brown Avenue where owner John Leathem lived. | Within days of the inquiry beginning, officers had cordoned off the deli, along with a flat in the town's Brown Avenue where owner John Leathem lived. |
He was arrested on 23 March and appeared in court three days later charged with Paige's murder. | He was arrested on 23 March and appeared in court three days later charged with Paige's murder. |
He faces a mandatory life term when he is sentenced at a later date. | He faces a mandatory life term when he is sentenced at a later date. |