A 14-YEAR-OLD girl who was sentenced to life for her part in a ``gay-bashing'' attack in a Glasgow park must wait to learn whether her appeal against conviction has been successful.
Claire Codona was found guilty of murder after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow on October 3 last year, and Lord Morison ordered her to be detained without limit of time.
Three young men, including Codona's boyfriend, were also sentenced to life for their role in the murder of Mr Michael Doran, 35, in Queens Park.
The victim was stabbed several times and his head was stamped and jumped on. Every bone in his face and skull was fractured.
Yesterday, at the Court of Criminal Appeal, Mr Gordon Jackson QC, for Codona, argued that she had suffered a miscarriage of justice because of the way she had been interrogated by police.
Mr Jackson also claimed there had been insufficient evidence to convict his client.
He submitted that, over two hours, police had fired a barrage of questions at the 14-year-old. Codona had become confused and distressed and had been placed under unfair pressure into confessing her part in the attack.
She told police she had kicked the victim once on the foot at the start of the attack. She remained nearby and spurts of blood coming from the victim landed on her clothing.
Advocate-depute Valerie Stacey argued that the question of whether the police questioning was fair had been correctly left to the jury.
She said there was nothing in the police interview to show that Codona had been treated unfairly.
Mrs Stacey also argued that bloodstaining evidence linked Codona to the murderous attack.
Lord Hope, the Lord Justice-General, who heard the appeal with Lords Sutherland and Murray, will give a decision later in writing.
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