A forensic scientist, who examined clothes worn by the complainant on the night she claimed she was raped, has given evidence in the trial of Irish rugby stars Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding and two other men.
The senior scientific officer carried out tests on the woman’s white jeans, a black top and a pair of pants.
After conducting tests on the clothes, the forensic scientist told the trial that Olding’s semen was located on all three items.
She confirmed traces of Oldings DNA was located via semen on the white trousers; DNA matching Olding’s profile was found on her underwear, and his semen was also located on her black top.
And while the top tested negative for blood, the complainant’s blood was found on both her pants and white trousers, as well as a duvet taken from Jackson’s bedroom.
The scientist said when the white trousers were presented to her, they were “grubby and stained” with visible areas of blood staining both on the inside and outside.
The complainant’s pants were also blood-stained, with the expert determining that one stain bore a “transfer pattern.”
As she sat in the witness box, the forensic scientist was asked by Toby Hedworth QC, for the Crown: “Were you provided with items from Mr Jackson’s house?” to which she replied “yes.” She confirmed she was given a grey and white duvet cover to fit a double bed.
When Hedworth asked, “was blood staining visible on that?” she answered “yes.” And when asked “was that tested and found to match the DNA profile of the complainant?” the expert replied “it was, yes.”
In addition, the forensic scientist was also asked about “both external and internal” swabs taken from the complainant. When asked about the presence of semen from the swabs, the scientist replied: “They were negative for semen.”
Before being excused for the day, the jury was told by Judge Patricia Smyth that they will be hearing police interviews conducted with the defendants during tomorrow’s sitting.
The nine men and three women were again warned not to discuss the case with anyone, and to “be on your guard.”
Reporting by Ashleigh McDonald for M&M News Services.
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