Blood staining at the scene - notes from forensic officer Derek Scrimger's testimony

 

Some notes regarding blood staining at the locus, from forensic officer Derek Scrimger's transcript 

Alan Turnbull QC (prosecution): "We see, I think, from the first sentence of your report, Mr Scrimger, that a significant amount of rain had fallen prior to your arrival. (Mr Scrimger arrived at the locus at approximately 8am/8.15am).

Derek Scrimger: That's correct

AT QC: And the surfaces around are wet? 

DS: They were, yes

AT QC: Was it apparent that there were areas of blood staining around on the ground? 

DS: Yes. A Few, yes.

AT QC: And would the rain have affected that at all?

DS: It had significantly, yes

Two areas of blood staining were identified on the wall - one was a contact stain and the other was 'spots, large spots and splashes'. The stains were low down and close to each other on the wall. There were two pieces of wood on the ground with blood that Scrimger believed to be drips. 

DS had said that the assailant wouldn't necessarily be blood stained - he agreed that it would depend upon the orientation of the victim and the assailant. He did say that if the victim's clothing were removed after death, the assailant was likely to be blood stained. 

Cross examination from Donald Findlay

DF: But certainly, the body had to be have been moved from the wall to the place where she finally lay?

DS: Correct, yes

DF: And where she finally lay, there was a good deal of blood that was found?

DS: There was, yes

Findlay makes the point that there was a very real possibility of contamination of the footwear of the person who was involved in moving the body

https://lukemitchelltrialtranscripts.blogspot.com/2024/08/derek-scrimger-forensics-14122004.html