Caroline Glachan murderer dies in hospital
Donna Marie Brand was serving life imprisonment for her role in the teenager's death
Last updated 27th Aug 2026
A woman serving a life sentence for the murder of a Glasgow schoolgirl 30 years ago has died in hospital.
Donna Marie Brand was serving a minimum of 17 years for the murder of 14 year old Caroline Glachan in 1996.
The 47 year old was jailed alongside her co-accused, Andrew Kelly and Robert O’Brien, who are serving 18 and 22 years respectively, for an attack described by the judge as being “horrific and violent”.
It is understood Brand died of natural causes on Wednesday at Forth Valley Hospital.
"You don't get closure"
She had appealed her conviction last year, along with Kelly, but both were denied.
After the sentencing, Caroline’s mother Margaret McKeich said: “It’s like a weight lifted off my shoulders.
“You don’t get closure. Closure is a void that will never be filled.
“It brings it to an end as far as court proceedings and sentencing.
“But for me and her dad, we’re serving a sentence as well, only ours doesn’t come to an end, only we don’t get parole.”
Caroline’s body was found badly injured in the River Leven.
She had suffered 10 blows to the head and extensive skull fractures having been punched, kicked and had bricks thrown at her as well as suffering other "blunt force" trauma.
At the time, Judge Lord Braid said: “The jury have found you guilty of the brutal murder of Caroline Glachan.
"You acted with Mr O'Brien, Mr Kelly and another.
"There is no evidence you participated in the assault itself, nonetheless, the jury must have found you planned to inflict murderous violence on Caroline.
"It was inflicted by Mr O'Brien and you must bare the consequences of that.
"We're serving a sentence as well, only ours doesn't come to an end"
"The jury must have accepted that you threatened her as you were angry she was seeing Mr O'Brien when you were in a relationship at the time.
"You went there knowing violence was to be inflicted on her.
"While I accept that you played no active part in the assault, the fact remains you share equal responsibility by leaving Caroline face down on the river while she was still alive.
"Your culpability is mitigated by your age at the time but the harm done is not.
"To reflect your age at the time and the overall responsibility is less than Mr O'Brien and Mr Kelly, I impose life imprisonment."
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