THE 16-year-old boy convicted of raping and murdering Alesha MacPhail has been named in court as Aaron Campbell.

The depraved teen was given anonymity throughout his trial at the High Court in Glasgow due to his age.

Scotland gives people under the age of 18 statutory anonymity under Section 47 of the Criminal procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Helensburgh Advertiser:

But a judge can be requested to lift the ban, if it is considered to be in the public interest, so a criminal can be named and pictured.

READ MORE: Why has Alesha MacPhail's killer been named at the age of 16?

Campbell, from Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, was told the rape, murder and abduction of six-year-old Alesha was among the ‘wickedest’ crimes ever heard at the High Court in Glasgow.

Judge Lord Matthews, who presided over the nine-day trial, held a hearing to decide whether anonymity should be lifted.

Campbell was present at the hearing along with dozens of reporters, and lawyers.

Before September 2015, his identity would have been known to the general public during the trial as anonymity was granted to those under the age of 16.

Read more of today's top Glasgow stories

However, the law in Scotland changed to become aligned with the rest of the UK.

During the trial, Campbell’s identity was protected due to his age - however, he tried to pin the blame on Alesha’s father’s girlfriend, Toni-Louise McLachlan, aged 18.

Campbell cited a special defence of incrimination blaming her for Alesha’s murder.

This was cited as a public interest reason for naming him.

Public interest reasons were cited as the abhorrent nature of the crimes, in which the public will have had ‘substantial interest’, and that the prohibition on identification would end on Campbell’s 18th birthday, on May 16 2020.

It was said that due to the murder conviction, the sentence would cause him to be jailed beyond his 18th birthday, when the anonymity would end.