The mum of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail said she will miss her daughter "forever" after she was abducted, raped and murdered.

Georgina Lochrane spoke of her devastation after a 16-year-old boy killed the child in Rothesay, Bute.

Armed with a knife, the teenager took Alesha out of her bed before carrying the schoolgirl to the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel on the island where he raped and murdered her on July 2 last year.

Alesha's mum said she has been left completely distraught by the killing of her "beautiful" daughter.

She said: "Words cannot express just how devastated I am to have lost my beautiful, happy, smiley wee girl.

"I am glad that the boy who did this has finally been brought to justice and that he will not be able to inflict the pain on another family that he has done to mine.

"Alesha, I love you so much, my wee pal. I will miss you forever."

The MacPhail family said they hope the murderer will be jailed "for a long time" when he's sentenced on March 21.

They said: "We can't believe that we will never see our wee angel Alesha again. We miss her so much.

"We hope that the boy who took her from us is jailed for a long time because of what he has done to our family. "Alesha may be gone from our lives but she will always be in our hearts."

Detective superintendent Stuart Houston said the murder was "senseless and barbaric".

He said: "I welcome today's verdict and hope that it will bring some comfort to the family and friends of little Alesha McPhail who have been through the most horrific ordeal.

"Throughout the police investigation and this trial, Alesha's family have shown incredible bravery in the face of the most appalling circumstances.

"Alesha's senseless and barbaric murder shocked the small community on Bute and people across Scotland. The effects of her death are still being felt today.

"From the moment Alesha was first reported missing - at the start of her summer holidays on Bute - the local community rallied together and did everything they possibly could do help."

He added that the killing was "harrowing" and "extremely rare".

"I would like to again thank everyone who came forward and helped the inquiry team with what was a particularly harrowing case," he said.

"Investigating any murder is challenging for all the police officers and staff involved.

"To be faced with the death of a little girl in such a cold and cruel way was extremely difficult for everyone.

"I would like to personally thank all those involved for their professionalism and dedication in bringing the investigation to a swift conclusion.

"Crimes such as this are extremely rare and I am glad that we have been able to get justice for Alesha and her family." Chief superintendent Hazel Hendren added: "I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to little Alesha.

"She was such a beautiful wee girl who was vibrant, funny and much loved.

"Her family have shown incredible bravery through what has been an unimaginable ordeal.

"I would also like to thank the local community of Bute who pulled together and did everything they could to help both Alesha's family and the major police investigation which followed.

"This was an incident which shocked the tight knit community of Rothesay to the core but that community showed strength and determination to assist the police in any way they could and I cannot thank them enough.

"The response to our appeals was significant, not only from Bute but from across Scotland. "Alesha's murder has affected everyone and will continue to do so for a very long time. "However the resilience and unity of this community will help it recover in time."