Blood stains on the garments of a person accused of murdering his sister may very well be “attributed to an assault”, a forensic biologist has informed a courtroom.
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DNA samples taken from the clothes of Connor Gibson discovered “widespread blood staining” on the accused’s jacket, which consultants mentioned was appropriate with 16-year-old Amber Gibson.
The 20-year-old is accused of assaulting and sexually assaulting his teenage sister, eradicating her garments and repeatedly inflicting blunt power trauma to her head and physique.
Her physique was found on 28 November 2021 at Cadzow Glen in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.
Alana Gunn, forensic biologist, informed the trial on the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday the blood discovered on the jacket, which was hanging in his room on the Blue Triangle hostel in Hamilton, additionally “appeared mixed with mud and dirt staining”.
Jurors heard how the DNA profile appropriate with Amber was estimated to be “about one billion times more likely” to be from her than an unrelated particular person.
Advocate depute Richard Goddard requested Ms Gunn: “There was widespread blood staining found on the front and both sleeves of the jacket?”
She mentioned: “Yes, it was on a big space of the jacket.
“The DNA profile in other areas of the jacket which were examined could be explained by Amber Gibson as a major contributor and Connor Gibson as a minor contributor.”
The advocate depute requested: “That could be explained by Connor Gibson being involved in an assault of Amber Gibson?”
Ms Gunn replied: “Yes, it could be attributed that way. It is an overall interpretation given the blood staining as contact blood staining.”
Further blood stains have been discovered on Gibson’s white and gray Adidas Gazelle trainers, which have been discovered on the ground of his room.
The stains included a dropped spot of blood matching Amber’s DNA which may have come from an “open wound”, Ms Gunn mentioned.
His DNA was additionally discovered on jogging bottoms and shorts, worn as underwear, which had been faraway from the sufferer’s physique.
Gibson can also be alleged to have compressed the teenager’s neck together with his arms and strangled her with the intention to rape her.
He is additional accused of trying to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of blood-stained garments, and calling the kids’s house the place his sister was dwelling and pretending she was alive.
He additionally faces a cost of trying to pervert the course of justice by telling police he had argued together with his sister on the night of 26 November earlier than going to somebody’s house.
A second man, Stephen Corrigan, 45, can also be on trial.
He is accused of discovering Amber’s physique between 26 and 28 November 2021 however as an alternative of alerting police, he’s alleged to have inappropriately touched her and hid her physique.
Both males deny all costs in opposition to them, with Corrigan’s defence agent Rhonda Anderson submitting a particular defence of alibi on his behalf.
Jurors heard that Corrigan’s DNA on the sufferer was “widespread” and included 39 areas of her physique, together with her buttocks, breasts and pubic space.
Ms Gunn informed the courtroom: “In our opinion, based on the collective findings relating to Stephen Corrigan, it could be explained if he had direct contact with Amber Gibson while she was unclothed.”
She additionally mentioned the proof didn’t recommend that Ms Gibson had redressed after Corrigan’s DNA had been on her physique, and added that the presence of his DNA may “not be explained by the statement that he had never had any contact with Amber Gibson”.
The trial, earlier than Lord Mulholland, continues.
Source: information.sky.com”