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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| DNA leads to woman's 1996 killer | DNA leads to woman's 1996 killer |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Forensic advances have led to the conviction of a man for murdering a woman walking her dog 13 years ago. | Forensic advances have led to the conviction of a man for murdering a woman walking her dog 13 years ago. |
| John Pope, who was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court, was first questioned shortly after Karen Skipper was thrown into a city river in 1996. | John Pope, who was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court, was first questioned shortly after Karen Skipper was thrown into a city river in 1996. |
| Her ex-husband was cleared of murder the following year. He has since died. | Her ex-husband was cleared of murder the following year. He has since died. |
| Pope, 60, of Cardiff, was arrested over her killing only in December 2007 when his DNA was found to be a match for two spots of blood on her clothing. | Pope, 60, of Cardiff, was arrested over her killing only in December 2007 when his DNA was found to be a match for two spots of blood on her clothing. |
| John Pope had first been questioned by police shortly after the murder Forensic progress led to killer | |
| His defence counsel had argued he was "not clever enough" to have made up a story that a blood spot on Mrs Skipper's jeans matched his DNA because he had previously taken a thorn from from the paws of Mrs Skipper's dogs. | His defence counsel had argued he was "not clever enough" to have made up a story that a blood spot on Mrs Skipper's jeans matched his DNA because he had previously taken a thorn from from the paws of Mrs Skipper's dogs. |
| Mrs Skipper's ex-husband, Phillip, had been charged with her murder and stood trial in 1997, but was acquitted. He died in November 2004, aged 48. | Mrs Skipper's ex-husband, Phillip, had been charged with her murder and stood trial in 1997, but was acquitted. He died in November 2004, aged 48. |
| Pope did not react as the verdict was announced. | Pope did not react as the verdict was announced. |
| Mrs Skipper's family applauded, with many of them shouting "Yes" and bursting into tears. | Mrs Skipper's family applauded, with many of them shouting "Yes" and bursting into tears. |
| After the hearing, one of Mrs Skipper's sisters, Heidi Mathison, said justice had been done."We are grateful that advances in scientific technology were able to identify Pope," she said. | |
| "He has enjoyed many years of freedom which he had no right to, having taken away our lovely Karen in the cruellest way."She said it was now time for Pope to start "paying the penalty" for the "brutal killing of our dear daughter, sister and aunt". It will not bring Karen back to us and we will never get over her death, but it gives us some closure and maybe she can finally rest in peace Heidi Mathison, Karen Skipper's sister | |
| "It will not bring Karen back to us and we will never get over her death, but it gives us some closure and maybe she can finally rest in peace," she said. | "It will not bring Karen back to us and we will never get over her death, but it gives us some closure and maybe she can finally rest in peace," she said. |
| Mrs Skipper's mother, Josie Scholz, said she had nothing further to say about her daughter's death. | |
| In a statement, the family of Mrs Skipper's ex-husband, known as Ginger, said Pope had caused "devastation" to both families involved. | |
| "This result has been a long time coming, but is nevertheless welcome," they said. | |
| "It is also tinged with immense sadness as Ginger and his dad are no longer here to see the result. | |
| "Ginger always maintained his innocence and this has been proven today." | |
| Blood smear | |
| The court heard Mrs Skipper's murderer pushed her into the icy waters of the River Ely in Fairwater, Cardiff, and her killing remained a mystery for more than a decade. | The court heard Mrs Skipper's murderer pushed her into the icy waters of the River Ely in Fairwater, Cardiff, and her killing remained a mystery for more than a decade. |
| Pope, a labourer, was interviewed at the time of the killing but denied ever knowing Mrs Skipper. | Pope, a labourer, was interviewed at the time of the killing but denied ever knowing Mrs Skipper. |
| He claimed he was at home on the night of the murder. | He claimed he was at home on the night of the murder. |
| His explanation for his blood on Mrs Skipper's clothing was that he had been bitten by one of her dogs weeks earlier while removing a thorn from its paw. | His explanation for his blood on Mrs Skipper's clothing was that he had been bitten by one of her dogs weeks earlier while removing a thorn from its paw. |
| He told the jury: "Karen looked at my hand, there was blood running down both sides of my hand - she put her hand in my pocket and got a tissue out for me to wipe it." | He told the jury: "Karen looked at my hand, there was blood running down both sides of my hand - she put her hand in my pocket and got a tissue out for me to wipe it." |
| His defence was that a blood smear from the tissue must have left its mark on Mrs Skipper's jeans. | His defence was that a blood smear from the tissue must have left its mark on Mrs Skipper's jeans. |
| Pope will be sentenced by Mr Justice Davis at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday. | Pope will be sentenced by Mr Justice Davis at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday. |
| Speaking after the verdict, Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Grenville Barker said: "The decision of the jury today brings to an end the mystery surrounding Karen's murder and will provide an element of comfort to the Cardiff communities of Ely and Fairwater, and especially the families of Karen and Phillip Skipper, in the knowledge that her murderer is now imprisoned." | Speaking after the verdict, Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Grenville Barker said: "The decision of the jury today brings to an end the mystery surrounding Karen's murder and will provide an element of comfort to the Cardiff communities of Ely and Fairwater, and especially the families of Karen and Phillip Skipper, in the knowledge that her murderer is now imprisoned." |