Amber Gibson’s physique was found at Cadzow Glen in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in November 2021 (Image: Police Scotland)
DNA belonging to a person accused of molesting a murdered teenager’s physique as an alternative of alerting police could have been current on her physique earlier than she died, a forensic biologist has stated.
Stephen Corrigan, 45, is claimed to have inappropriately touched 16-year-old Amber Gibson’s physique after discovering it at Cadzow Glen in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in November 2021.
Jurors on the Excessive Courtroom in Glasgow have heard she was strangled to dying there by her brother Connor Gibson, 20, who can also be on trial, throughout a intercourse assault on November 26.
Corrigan’s DNA was ‘widespread’ on Amber’s physique, spanning 39 areas, together with her buttocks, breasts and pubic space, with forensic biologist Alana Gunn estimating it got here from ‘direct contact’.
Nevertheless, following questioning from Corrigan’s defence agent, Rhonda Anderson, Ms Gunn stated she couldn’t ‘exclude’ the chance his DNA was on {the teenager}’s physique by secondary switch.
Ms Anderson put to Ms Gunn, if Amber had slept bare inside a sleeping bag that had Corrigan’s DNA on it earlier than her dying that might account for why his DNA was on her physique.
The professional replied: ‘If there was a major quantity of DNA within the sleeping bag then I couldn’t exclude that, no.’
Ms Anderson added: ‘As I perceive it, your place out of your proof is that it might be that Stephen Corrigan’s DNA deposited on Ms Niven’s physique might have been deposited earlier than she went to the park (Cadzow Glen).
‘Ought to the women and gents on the jury perceive that you’re unable to exclude that his DNA was deposited on Amber Niven’s physique earlier than she went to the park and earlier than she died?’
Ms Gunn replied: ‘We can not inform you precisely what time the DNA was deposited’, earlier than including proof didn’t say whether or not it existed on her physique earlier than or after her dying.
Corrigan denies inappropriately touching after which concealing Amber’s physique between November 26 and 28.
He’s accused of trying to defeat the ends of justice by hiding it below bushes and branches to stop its discovery and altering or destroying proof that he had touched her physique and clothes.
Gibson denies homicide, with jurors listening to he’s accused of eradicating his sister’s garments and repeatedly inflicting blunt power trauma to her head and physique on November 26, 2021.
Prosecutors allege he compressed the 16-year-old’s neck together with his fingers and strangled her with the intention to rape her.
He faces additional prices of trying to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of bloodstained garments and calling the kids’s residence the place his sister lived and pretending she was alive.
Gibson 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 November 26 earlier than going to somebody’s residence.
The trial, earlier than choose Lord Mulholland, continues.
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