CHARLES O’NEILL AND WILLIAM LAUCHLAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF ALLISON MCGARRIGLE IN GLASGOW

In June 2014, paedophiles Charles O’Neill and William Lauchlan failed in their legal bid to have their prison sentences reduced after being convicted of the murder of Allison McGarrigle, a 39-year-old mother, in Glasgow. The murder occurred nearly 13 years prior, in June 1997, driven by their belief that she was about to expose their sexual abuse of a young boy.

Mrs. McGarrigle was reported missing in February 1998, seven months after her disappearance, and her body has never been recovered. She was officially declared dead in 2005. The men denied involvement in her murder but were found guilty in Glasgow High Court of engaging in criminal sexual activity with a boy over three years and murdering Mrs. McGarrigle with the intent to prevent her from reporting their crimes.

The court heard that Lauchlan and O’Neill were friends with Mrs. McGarrigle prior to her disappearance. During the trial, her husband, Robert McGarrigle, testified that his wife did not have a passport, could not drive, and struggled with reading and writing, requiring assistance.

Outside the court, her son, Robert McGarrigle, expressed his relief at the sentence, saying, 'Lauchlan and O’Neill have taken away the best mum in the world.' He described his mother as a 'bubbly, happy woman with a heart of gold,' who loved children and was trying to protect a young boy from abuse. He added, 'For many years we have had to live with not knowing what had happened to her, but we knew she was not missing. If she was still alive she would not have left her three kids and missed out on watching her four grandchildren grow up. We miss her terribly and wish that we could lay her to rest.'

Scott Pattison, the Crown Office director of operations, stated that the case was 'chillingly clear' in showing that Lauchlan and O’Neill were 'sexual predators who were willing to kill to secure access to children and abuse them for their own gratification.' He explained, 'Allison had tried to defend a young boy from abuse at their hands. To silence her, Lauchlan and O’Neill threatened her, held her against her will, murdered her and then disposed of her body.' He emphasized that her body remains undiscovered and that her family has been unable to lay her to rest since her disappearance.

Strathclyde Assistant Chief Constable Ruaraidh Nicolson remarked that these 'extremely dangerous individuals' had been removed from society due to police cooperation across multiple forces, describing O’Neill and Lauchlan as 'devious, manipulative and highly dangerous,' willing to kill to avoid detection. Their convictions resulted from a large-scale police operation involving forces from Fife, Central Scotland, Strathclyde, and Lancashire.

Today at Glasgow High Court, Lord Pentland sentenced Lauchlan and O’Neill to life imprisonment, with fixed minimum terms of 26 years and 30 years respectively. The court detailed their histories, highlighting their prior convictions and promoting them as predatory paedophiles. 'William Hugh Lauchlan and Charles Bernard O’Neill, you now stand convicted by the jury of the despicable murder of Mrs. Alison McGarrigle and of disposing of her body at sea,' the judge stated. The court noted their previous convictions for child abuse and grooming, emphasizing their continued criminal predatory behavior.

Lauchlan’s minimum term is set at 26 years, backdated to March 25, 2008, with additional sentences of 8, 10, and 10 years for various charges, all runs concurrent. O’Neill’s minimum term is 30 years, also backdated to March 25, 2008, with sentences of 8, 10, 10, and 10 years for related charges, also concurrent. Both men will remain registered sex offenders indefinitely, and their names are recommended for inclusion on the list of persons deemed unsuitable to work with children.

In conclusion, Lord Pentland expressed gratitude to the jury for their service and disbursed a 10-year disqualification from jury service, acknowledging their diligence in handling a difficult case. The court’s judgment underscores the importance of justice for victims and communities affected by such heinous crimes.