A CYBERCRIME investigator has told the Alesha MacPhail murder trial in Glasgow the accused searched "how do police find DNA" on Google the day after the child's body was found.

The court also heard the accused lived less than six minutes away from the site where the child’s body was found.

Peter Benson, a cybercrime expert at Police Scotland, examined the teen’s iPhone 6.

When internet history from the accused’s phone was presented to the court, Mr Benson confirmed a Google search on Tuesday, July 3 which said: "How do police find DNA."

Among the accused’s contacts were Robert MacPhail and Toni McLachlan’s phone numbers.

READ MORE: Alesha MacPhail murder trial in Glasgow hears what the accused replied when he was charged

At 1.40am on July 2, a final call was made to Mr MacPhail, before a message was sent to Ms McLachlan at 1.47am.

A return call to the accused from Ms McLachlan’s number was made at 6.29am.

The IT expert said there was no evidence the accused and Ms McLachlan had communicated on Instagram.

Mr Benson said: “That did not feature in any of the evidence recovered from Toni-Louise McLachlan’s phone.”

Questioned by Mr McSporran if they had been connected on Instagram, he said: “I didn’t see any evidence in the contacts list.”

When asked by Mr McSporran if it is possible to delete communications or conversations on Instagram, he said: “It is possible.”

DC Lisa Whitelaw also gave evidence, and told the trial that it took five minutes and 49 seconds to walk between the lad’s home and the site of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel.

She agreed with advocate depute Iain McSporran that it would be “significantly shorter” were the person running.

READ MORE: Mum of 16-year-old accused of raping and killing Alesha MacPhail refuses to watch his trial continue

The court heard it would take five minutes and 54 seconds to walk between the accused’s house, and the MacPhail family home on Ardbeg Road.

And she said it would take 12 minutes and 43 seconds to get from the MacPhail house to the site where Alesha’s body was found.

DC Lisa Whitelaw described watching CCTV footage from the accused’s property on the morning Alesha vanished, July 2.

A dog could be heard barking as the accused returned to the property and audio caught a ‘shh’ sound.

At 3.45am, the accused left the house again, leaving the bathroom light on.

READ MORE: Girlfriend of Alesha MacPhail's dad denies having sex with accused on night of murder

DC Whitelaw said he ‘is observed leaving the property from the back door wearing dark coloured shorts, no top on and no shoes - carrying a dark coloured item in his right hand’.

At 3.52am, the accused could be seen returning to the house, appearing from the left hand side and jumping over a garden wall before walking up the driveway.

DC Whitelaw said: “He then enters the garden...by jumping the wall - he appeared to not be carrying anything.”

At 4.07am, the accused was wearing the same clothes, the officer said.

She added: “He appears to be carrying nothing.”

The trial continues.

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