Scientist explains blood stains
A scientist has stepped out of the witness box to demonstrate how she says forensic evidence shows a murderaccused straddled his victim as his throat was cut.
She gave her evidence after the High Court in Christchurch spent two days hearing of blood-stain patterns on a sofa, carpet and clothing in the trial of two men accused of murder at Oxford, in North Canterbury, in February last year.
Environmental Science and Research scientist Rosalyn Rough’s evidence of bloodstaining points to Thuvan Prawash Sawal, 24, being astride the 28-year-old victim at the time his throat was cut.
Sawal and Mudiyanselage Viraj Wasantha Alahakoon, 35, deny joint charges of murder and arson.
Alahakoon also denies charges of assaulting a woman and assaulting her with scissors by cutting her long hair. Her name is suppressed.
The murder victim was dairy worker Sameera Madurangana Manikka Battelage, whose body was found with a series of cuts and stab wounds to his neck at the scene of a fire in the living area of his house in Domain Rd, Oxford.
Clothing the Crown says was worn by the men was found in two wheelie bins outside properties in River Rd, Christchurch.
The Crown says it identified what the men were wearing through closedcircuit television footage that shows them arriving at Oxford Workingmen’s Club with Battelage to socialise and watch cricket on television on the night of the murder.
The cargo pants that the Crown says Sawal was wearing were found in two pieces in separate wheelie bins.
Rough described blood stains on the front of the right leg and a large area of blood on the back of the left leg, including fine droplets of projected blood.
When she finished describing the staining on the various items of clothing, Crown prosecutor Kathy Bell asked if she could give her opinion of the position the person was in when the blood staining occurred to the cargo pants and a red T-shirt.
‘‘Yes, in this case I believe I can,’’ Rough said.
She explained how the person would have been straddling the ‘‘source’’ of the blood staining, with the left leg forward, at the time the staining occurred, with the blood flying up and out to hit the inside and underside of the left leg and the front of the right leg.
The fine droplets indicated that the cargo pants were close to the ‘‘source’’ of the blood.
Stains on the T-shirt indicated the person was leaning forward, she said.
The pattern could imply there may have been more than one ‘‘impact’’, she said.
Kneeling on one knee in the courtroom, with those involved in the trial gathered around, Rough said: ‘‘This is the position I have deduced from the blood stains present.’’
The trial has been told of blood stains being found on the sofa cushions in the house where Battelage’s body was found.
Medical evidence indicated six stabbing or cutting wounds to his neck area.
Yesterday was the ninth day of the trial before Justice Christian Whata and a jury.