The blood of Angus man Steven Donaldson was found on a T-shirt belonging to one of his alleged killers, a High Court murder trial was told.
A forensic scientist said the odds of DNA taken from Callum Davidson’s garment being from someone other than Mr Donaldson were a billion to one, and could have landed on the T-shirt as drops of wet blood from a weapon being swung.
Scottish Police Authority expert Sarah Milne also concluded from investigations at Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve, near Kirriemuir, that blood trails found there were consistent with Mr Donaldson running through the car park, being attacked near its entrance and then dragged back to his car before being hit again prior to it being set on fire.
The trial’s eighth day heard the handlebars of Davidson’s mountain bike and part of a broken baseball bat also contained blood DNA from the deceased, as well as Davidson.
Under questioning by advocate depute Ashley Edwards, the witness spoke about blood found along the edge of the car park, which she concluded could have been consistent with dripping from someone.
A pool of blood and piece of tissue was found on the road at the entrance to the car park, as well as blood on the grass verge there.
The witness said there was a “drag mark” of blood from a heavy area of staining at the entrance and through the middle of the car park to beside Mr Donaldson’s burnt-out BMW at its far end. All the blood samples matched the DNA profile of the deceased, the court heard.
In her forensic report conclusion, the witness said: “The blood pattern and distribution in the car park could be explained if Steven Donaldson had travelled the length of the car park whilst bleeding, if he had been assaulted at the entrance and then dragged up the car park whilst bleeding and placed at the car before the vehicle then being burnt.”
A laboratory examination of Davidson’s T-shirt revealed the blood spots at its base, which the witness said may have indicated something else was being worn over the top of it.
The advocate depute asked if the spots could have come from a weapon, to which the witness replied: “Yes”.
Jurors heard the forensic report suggested a possible explanation that the blood may have come to be on the T-shirt if Davidson had used the baseball bat while repeatedly striking Mr Donaldson as alleged.
The trial also heard from consultant neuropathologist Dr William Stewart, who said an examination of Mr Donaldson’s brain had revealed bleeding around it was consistent with a direct impact of reasonable force.
He added Mr Donaldson would have only survived for a “short” period of time after he sustained the brain injury – probably less than an hour.
The trial continues.
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