Murder Suspects Pose As Holiday Cleaners

Oct 14 2007 By Billy Paterson

Child Abusers Linked To Murder Pose As Cleaning Experts At Family Holiday Homes Exclusive

TWO prime murder suspects are posing as directors of a firm that cleans family holiday homes in the island of Gran Canaria.

Paedophiles Charles O'Neill, 44, and William Lauchlan, 30, fled Scotland when they were released from prison last year.

We can reveal they now run Rainbow Cleaning Services on the Canary Island where unsuspecting parents of young children let them into their holiday homes.

O'Neill calls himself a "forensic cleaner" and a member of the British Institute of Cleaning.

Last night a spokesman for the BIC said no one with that name was registered with them.

The former boxer was jailed for eight years and his cousin, Lauchlan sentenced to six years in 1998 for abusing six boys aged between 11 and 15.

One key witnesses was to have been mum-of-three Allison McGarrigle, who once stayed with O'Neill and Lauchlan at their home in Largs, Ayrshire.

The 40-year-old, of Rothesay, Isle of Bute disappeared 10 years ago and has not been seen since.

In April 2005 both men appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court charged with her murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of her body.

O'Neill was alleged to have boasted to fellow inmates at Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison and Peterhead jail he had killed Allison and fed her "to the fishes".

But the Crown never brought the case to court after "very careful consideration" of the evidence.

When they were released from prison for the child abuse offences O'Neill and Lauchlan broke their parole conditions by fleeing to the Spanish resort of Benidorm.

They were arrested in 2004 and returned to Scotland to serve the rest of their sentences. O'Neill was released in November last year, a month after Lauchlan.

Elizabeth Marshall, a Largs councillor, was a member of Victim Support at the time the paedophiles' offences came to light and counselled one of their victims.

She said last night: "That victim said his life was ruined by these two.

"They spiked drinks and drugged and threatened victims saying the same fate would befall their mothers as had happened to Alison McGarrigle and that they would be fed to the fishes.

"It is very disturbing people like that are running a business where they have access to young children.

"I will alert the police here and hopefully they will pass it on to the authorities in the Canary Islands."

An advertising feature for Rainbow Cleaning Services on the Canary Islands Round Town News site states: "William and Charlie have invested a lot of time and money and recruited and personally trained their staff.

"This is a polished service (no pun intended) with a professional image to boot.

"Charlie is a former environmental health officer who trained in the UK and is a registered member of the British Institute of Cleaning Science.

"William is a forensic/industrial cleaner and the inhouse trainer of staff."

When the Sunday Mail first contacted Rainbow Cleaning Services we were told neither O'Neill or Lauchlan was available.

When we made a second call we were told they had sold the firm three weeks ago.

Last night a senior police source said that the Allison McGarrigle case remained open.

He added: "These inquiries are never closed and are pursued if any new information comes to light."

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