Blood DNA on knife matched to dead man

A forensic scientist has told a murder trial that DNA from the tip of a knife found in the accused man’s bedroom matched the deceased, while blood on the handle of the knife matched the accused.

Trevor Corr, aged 39, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, aged 32, at Kiltalown Way in Tallaght on September 22, 2013. This plea was not accepted by the State.

Forensic scientist John Hoade from the Forensic Science Lab yesterday told the court he attended the scene at Kiltalown Way on September 23 and 24, 2013 to carry out a blood analysis.

Mr Hoade was aware there was a knife recovered from a drawer in Mr Corr’s bedroom, and two knives recovered from the hot press which were located “above head height.” Mr Hoade told John Byrne, prosecuting, that

“the DNA profile generated from the tip of the knife [in the bedroom] matched that of James Humphries and the blood-staining on the handle of the knife matched that of Trevor Corr”.

Mr Hoade said in each instance, where full matching DNA profiles were reported, he estimated the chance of finding this profile, if the DNA had come from someone unrelated to the nominated person, to be “considerably less than one in a thousand million”.

The court heard Mr Hoade was also asked to examine the clothing of Mr Corr for blood patterns and DNA.

“There was heavy blood-staining on the front and back of Trevor Corr’s tracksuit bottoms. The DNA profile generated from the tracksuit bottoms matched that of James Humphries,” said Mr Hoade.

Brendan Grehan, defending, asked Mr Hoade if he concluded from his account that Mr Humphries had been stabbed in the bed by Trevor Corr and the knife used “was likely to be the one found in the bedroom locker”.

Mr Hoade agreed with Mr Grehan’s suggestion that the scientific evidence “would be consistent with such a description of the event”.

The defence did not call evidence and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury they would hear the closing speeches today.