The building where Liam Aitchison was found murdered, will be demolished.

The owners have already agreed to the plea from the people living near it.

The body of 16-year-old Mr Aitchison from South Uist was found in a derelict house near Stornoway airport on Lewis in November 2011 after he was beaten and stabbed 20 times by Johnathan Mackinnon and Stefan Millar.

The people of the islands were stunned, none more so than in the community of Steinish on Lewis, where the building is located. Its owners, Highlands and Island Airports Ltd (HIAL) have been approached by the local community.

Local councillor Angus McCormack said he had made contact with HIAL after the community view became clear.

"HIAL very readily said that once the building was no longer needed for the purposes of the trial, they would be happy to arrange to have it flattened.

"The residents of Steinish village were deeply shocked by the incident that took place in what is a very family-orientated community. The wider Sandwick area was bonded together by the deep sadness that a young man had died so cruelly in their midst. so the permanent reminder of this tragedy will be demolished."

Originally from South Uist, Mr Aitchison is remembered kindly there. The local Roman Catholic priest Father Michael MacDonald said: "It was shocking news to hear that Liam had died. He was a popular young fellow here on the island. There is no question about that.

"It was deeply disturbing. that such an event and the manner of it as described, could have taken place anywhere in the Western Isles."

Another islander described him as "a cheeky chappy, but very likeable".

The last murder on Lewis was in 1968, when 80-year-old Mary Mackenzie was found dead in her cottage on the west side of the island in Brue.

A man was charged with her murder but the case was not proven.

In 2006, a murder inquiry was launched into the death of Murdo Macdonald but the charge was reduced to serious assault when it reached court.

Before the trial, Matthew Wright, host of Channel 5's The Wright Stuff, apologised for comments he made during a newspaper review segment of the show.

He put on a Scottish accent and said "there's been another murder", copying a phrase associated with STV's Taggart.

A statement issued on behalf of Liam's family at the time said the comments were "very upsetting", "insulting" and "insensitive".