This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34217544
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thai beach killings: Expert questions DNA evidence | Thai beach killings: Expert questions DNA evidence |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DNA from a garden hoe allegedly used to kill two British tourists on a Thai island does not match samples taken from two men accused of the killings, a court in the country has heard. | DNA from a garden hoe allegedly used to kill two British tourists on a Thai island does not match samples taken from two men accused of the killings, a court in the country has heard. |
| Forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand also criticised a failure to analyse blood found at the scene. | Forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand also criticised a failure to analyse blood found at the scene. |
| David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were found dead on a beach on Koh Tao last September. | David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were found dead on a beach on Koh Tao last September. |
| Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo deny the killings. | Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo deny the killings. |
| Police say DNA on the victims' bodies matches that of the accused. | |
| But officers have already testified that they failed to take DNA samples from the alleged murder weapon, examining fingerprints instead. | |
| Dr Rojanasunand, who heads a forensic unit run by the Ministry of Justice, said she had subsequently extracted two samples of DNA from the alleged weapon. | |
| Both were from males, but neither matched the defendants, she told the court. Anyone holding the hoe for more than 15 seconds would have left DNA, she added. | |
| Dr Rojanasunand also questioned a decision to move Miss Witheridge's body from where she was killed - potentially destroying other evidence. | |
| The trial previously heard evidence from a police officer, who described severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. | The trial previously heard evidence from a police officer, who described severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. |
| The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. | The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. |
| Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but were told there was nothing left of them to re-test. | Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but were told there was nothing left of them to re-test. |
| Police, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the alleged murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. | Police, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the alleged murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. |
| BBC South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head said a verdict is not expected until October. |