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Officer visited Stephen Lawrence and Gary Dobson homes Officer visited Stephen Lawrence and Gary Dobson homes
(40 minutes later)
A police officer who visited Stephen Lawrence's family home searched the house of a man suspected of his murder a week later, the Old Bailey has heard.A police officer who visited Stephen Lawrence's family home searched the house of a man suspected of his murder a week later, the Old Bailey has heard.
Det Con Linda Holden denied wearing the same clothes during a search of Gary Dobson's house, which could have contaminated evidence against him.Det Con Linda Holden denied wearing the same clothes during a search of Gary Dobson's house, which could have contaminated evidence against him.
Mr Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, both from south London, deny murder.Mr Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, both from south London, deny murder.
Prosecutors say DNA evidence links them to the black teenager who was murdered in Eltham, south London, in 1993.Prosecutors say DNA evidence links them to the black teenager who was murdered in Eltham, south London, in 1993.
They say a group of white youths attacked the 18-year-old A-Level student, forced him to the ground at a bus stop and then stabbed him twice.They say a group of white youths attacked the 18-year-old A-Level student, forced him to the ground at a bus stop and then stabbed him twice.
Prosecutors claim that microscopic fibres found on clothes belonging to the defendants prove that they took part in the gang attack.Prosecutors claim that microscopic fibres found on clothes belonging to the defendants prove that they took part in the gang attack.
But defence counsel for the pair say the fibres, blood and hair were transferred on to the clothes by contamination.But defence counsel for the pair say the fibres, blood and hair were transferred on to the clothes by contamination.
Ms Holden visited the Lawrence household on 23 April 1993, the day after Stephen died, and then again on 25, 27 and 28 April, with a final trip on 29 April.Ms Holden visited the Lawrence household on 23 April 1993, the day after Stephen died, and then again on 25, 27 and 28 April, with a final trip on 29 April.

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Exhibits officer said she bathed, washed clothes and wore completely different clothes on visits to Lawrence and Dobson households”Exhibits officer said she bathed, washed clothes and wore completely different clothes on visits to Lawrence and Dobson households”
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And then, working as an exhibits officer, she searched Mr Dobson's bedroom on 7 May.And then, working as an exhibits officer, she searched Mr Dobson's bedroom on 7 May.
The court heard that jackets and a cardigan were seized during a search of the house and police officers placed them in unsealed brown paper evidence bags before Mr Dobson, who was 17 at the time, was arrested.The court heard that jackets and a cardigan were seized during a search of the house and police officers placed them in unsealed brown paper evidence bags before Mr Dobson, who was 17 at the time, was arrested.
The jury was told that after Mr Dobson's clothes had been sealed into police bags at Bromley police station, they were taken back to Eltham and stored in the same disused cell where Stephen's clothes had previously been kept.
And it emerged that the defendant's belongings were handled by people who had been handling the victim's possessions.
Ms Holden told the Old Bailey jury that she was certain she had not worn the same clothes to the Lawrence and Dobson homes.Ms Holden told the Old Bailey jury that she was certain she had not worn the same clothes to the Lawrence and Dobson homes.
Timothy Roberts QC, representing Mr Dobson, asked if she had been wearing the same clothes on both visits and could have contaminated the Dobson evidence with fibres from the Lawrence household.Timothy Roberts QC, representing Mr Dobson, asked if she had been wearing the same clothes on both visits and could have contaminated the Dobson evidence with fibres from the Lawrence household.
She said: "It was well over a week later and I didn't think that I had any risk of contamination and certain senior officers knew that I had been to the Lawrence family home."She said: "It was well over a week later and I didn't think that I had any risk of contamination and certain senior officers knew that I had been to the Lawrence family home."
And, later in cross examination, the defence barrister asked: "Are you absolutely sure and can you swear on oath that you didn't wear the same shirt?"
'Basic' contamination training'Basic' contamination training
And, later in cross examination, the defence barrister asked: "Are you absolutely sure and can you swear on oath that you didn't wear the same shirt?"
She replied that she was "positive", prompting Mr Justice Treacy to ask what made her certain she had not worn the same outfit.She replied that she was "positive", prompting Mr Justice Treacy to ask what made her certain she had not worn the same outfit.
"As I said earlier I knew that I was going into a search so I chose that morning to wear clothes that if they got soiled or whatever it didn't matter," she said."As I said earlier I knew that I was going into a search so I chose that morning to wear clothes that if they got soiled or whatever it didn't matter," she said.
Ms Holden went on: "I knew that what I wore on that morning was not the same outfit that I'd worn the week before."Ms Holden went on: "I knew that what I wore on that morning was not the same outfit that I'd worn the week before."
Det Ch Insp Alison Funnell, who was then a police constable and used the surname Rickell, helped in the search of Dobson's home and told the court she had only received "basic training" in avoiding cross contamination of fibres. Det Ch Insp Alison Funnell, who was then a police constable and used the surname Rickell, helped in the search of Dobson's home and told the court she had only received "basic training" in avoiding cross-contamination of fibres.
Forensic evidence
The court has already been told that cold case forensic teams found a speck of blood on the collar of Mr Dobson's jacket that was a billion-to-one match to Stephen's DNA.
And there were minute flecks of blood on the jacket itself that did not contain a full DNA profile.
There were, in total, 16 fibres which could have come from three separate items of clothing worn by the dead teenager, found either on the jacket or its evidence bag.
And two hairs were found in an evidence bag used to store a pair of jeans seized from Mr Norris's home, one of which was 2mm long and found to match Stephen's DNA to a certainty of one in 1,000.
Seven fibres were also found on a sweatshirt seized in the same search which potentially came from two items of clothing owned by Stephen.
The case continues.