Man, 45, who found 16-year-old Amber Gibson’s naked body in woods violated her
The man who found 16-year-old Amber Gibson’s naked body after she was murdered by her brother violated her, a court heard.
The teenage girl was killed by her sibling Connor Gibson, then 19, in a forest in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, on November 26, 2021.
He strangled her and removed her clothing, sexually assaulting her with the intent of raping her, before she was reported missing later that same night.
Stephen Corrigan, 45, discovered her body in Cadzow Glen at about 10.10am, two days later.
But, instead of calling the police, he touched the young girl inappropriately and concealed her body, it was heard.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how Corrigan told officers he was at a ‘complete loss’ to explain why his DNA was found on 39 areas of Amber’s body, including her breasts, buttocks and thighs.
Corrigan tried to deny what judge Lord Mulholland called ‘horrific crimes’, claiming he had an alibi.
His dad William Corrigan, 79, told the court his son was at his home in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, after a fall had left his arm in a sling.
But he was convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and breach of the peace yesterday.
Judge Mulholland told Corrigan: ‘Coming across a young girl who had been strangled to death, she was naked… instead of alerting the authorities you decide … to handle her body all over from head to toe including areas that were intimate – private parts – and your DNA told the story.’
He warned that Corrigan should expect a ‘lengthly sentence’, adding: ‘Be under no illusion what is also coming your way.’
Corrigan will be sentenced at the High Court in Livingston on September 4, along with Gibson who now faces a life sentence after being convicted of murder and attempted rape.
The day before Gibson was arrested on December 1, he had posted a chilling tribute on Amber’s Facebook page, writing: ‘Amber, you will fly high for the rest of time. We will all miss you. Especially me.
‘I love you ginger midget. GBFN (goodbye for now) X’
The court heard Gibson, also known by the surname Niven, did not seem emotional as he spoke to his and Amber’s former foster father, Craig Niven, on the day Amber’s body was found.
Giving evidence, Mr Niven had said he would not leave the siblings in each other’s company because they were ‘not a good mix’.
Jurors were told by the forensic pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination on Amber’s body that she was found covered in mud and the cause of death was ‘compression of the neck’.
Gibson’s DNA was also found on her shorts, worn as underwear, which had been ‘forcibly torn’ off, while ‘widespread blood staining’ found on his jacket was compatible with Amber, the pathologist said.
Prosecutor Richard Goddard KC told jurors in his closing speech it was a ‘tragedy’ that the last face Amber saw was Gibson’s.
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