POLICE experts are to comb through 300 items of evidence from the 20 year old murder of schoolgirl Carolin Glachan in the hope that “Europe-leading” forensic technology will uncover fresh clues. 

Detectives also believe “changing allegiances” may still encourage someone in Renton to speak about the murder of the 14-year-old.

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr says Police Scotland is using “Europe-leading” forensics technology that’s on a “different planet” to what was available when the Our Lady and St Patrick’s High pupil was brutally murdered on Saturday, August 24, 1996.

Police Scotland can investigate 24 parts of DNA, he said, compared to just 17 for police forces in the rest of the UK and Europe. 

“I’m hoping that we get a profile on the items that would be able to pose some very difficult questions for somebody,” D/Supt Kerr said.

Amanda Pirie, lead forensic scientist at Police Scotland, said “significant improvements” in forensic services mean more information is available, even when items have been immersed in water, like Caroline’s clothes. She highlighted new techniques that allow scientists to more easily identify male DNA profiles that have been passed from father to son.

However, both police and Caroline’s family and friends are urging people to finally speak about what happened so police are not waiting many more months for DNA results, which are already being tested, to be delivered.

D/Supt Kerr said: “I think that over the last 20 years allegiances will have changed, family dynamics change, friendships end, so we’re really appealing for this community [to come forward].

“The answer lies in Bonhill and Renton and we would appeal to people to get in touch with us and tell us what they were probably hesitant of doing in the past.

“We’ve got mechanisms in place to protect anybody that feels as if they’re vulnerable and would be hesitant to contact the police.”

Speaking at Bonhill Community Centre in front of an artist’s impression of the green-hooded man with sharp features, Caroline’s mother, Margaret McKeitch, said: “What can I say that I haven’t said before?

“What can I do that I haven’t done before?”

Ms McKeitch urged Renton residents to “take a look back. And have a think back. And take a look in the mirror”.

“It’s a fair amount of time but for me it was only yesterday. 20 years is long enough.”

She added that she hopes this will be the last time she has to issue another appeal, but she will never stop coming forward until her daughter’s killer is caught. 

Caroline Glachan was beaten and killed near the River Leven behind St Martin’s Primary School and the Vale of Leven Academy after leaving her friends at Ladyton Shopping Centre around midnight to go to Renton. Her mother, Margaret McKeitch, was out celebrating her 40th birthday on the night she died.

At the event on Monday, police showed a CCTV video of the last time Caroline was with her best friend, Joanne Menzies. It was timestamped 11.50pm, just 15 to 30 minutes before Caroline was attacked.

Just after midnight, a taxi driver who knew Caroline saw her walking with someone behind her near the poorly-lit footpaths of the River Leven. 

Around 12.15am, a man with sharp features was seen wearing a brown or green waterproof jacket at the Dillichip Bond, a short distance from Dillichip Loan. Two men, one fitting the description of the hooded, sharp-featured man seen earlier, were seen at 12.45am running past the Kippen Dairy and Laughing Fox public house towards Main Street, Alexandria. 

Caroline was found the next day, fully clothed except for her training shoes, in black denims, a black “Chippie” jumper/sweatshirt. 

Ms Menzies pleaded with people in Renton to come forward and stop Margaret “having to come back every year” and speak about the murder that rocked Bonhill, Renton and Scotland.

Everyone who has spoken of Caroline since her death has painted the same picture of a young, happy teenager who loved life, her family and friends.

D/Supt Kerr re-iterated that police believe the killer was someone Caroline knew.

He said: “I think there’s been a motif for it, what the motif is, I don’t know. 

“I certainly think the answer lies in the community. We believe it’s someone that knows her.

“There’s been some kind of argument, a girl shouting [around] the time and place at the towpath, having an argument with someone or a group of people, and that’s the people we really need to come forward.”

Echoing police statements at the time of the murder, D/Supt Kerr said there was “hesitance” in Renton to come forward but someone needed to end the “black cloud” hanging over the community. 

He said they had already been told a lot of information, just not enough “to get us over the line to get resolution for the community and the family.”.

Anyone with information on Caroline’s murder can contact police by calling 101, emailing operationfairing@scotland.pnn.police.uk or phoning Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.