THE twisted teenager who abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail has had his prison sentence cut by three years following an appeal.

Aaron Campbell, who was 16 when he killed the schoolgirl on the Isle of Bute in July 2018, denied the charges throughout a two-week trial earlier this year, but then admitted the offence during his sentencing hearing in March.

Campbell raped and murdered Alesha and initially appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court after his arrest.

Judge Lord Matthews handed Campbell, now 17, a mandatory life sentence and ordered him to spend at least 27 years behind bars.

Campbell's jail term has now been reduced by three years after his appeal was heard at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Three of the country’s top judges have now decided that the minimum term he will serve before being considered for parole will be reduced from 27 years to 24.

They used the case of Luke Mitchell, who murdered his girlfriend Jodi Jones when he was just 15, to back up the appeal.

Campbell will now be 40 years old when his release can be considered for the first time.

Alesha’s mum Georgina Lochrane previously described the appeal as “laughable”.

A full written judgement has just been published - 34 days after judges rose to consider their decision.

Campbell was 16 when he abducted the tot from her bed after entering into her grandparents' home on the island on July 2 last year.