No DNA link found in murder trial

A forensic scientist has told a murder trial she found no DNA link between the deceased’s blood and the accused’s clothing or vice-versa.

Dr Fiona Thornton of the Department of Justice was giving evidence to the Central Criminal Court in the trial of Patrick Sheridan (aged 33), of Old Barrack View, Rathkeale, Co Limerick.

Mr Sheridan has pleaded not guilty to the murder in Rathkeale of his brother-in-law, David Sheridan (aged 30), of Fairhill, also in Rathkeale, on April 15, 2001.

Dr Thornton identified a number of exhibits in court today, one of which was a shirt belonging to the accused, from which all but one button were missing. "This damage was not wear-and-tear. They were probably pulled from the shirt," she said.

The court was also shown an undamaged shirt and vest found at the scene. The scientist told the court that blood found on Patrick Sheridan’s clothes either matched his own or his father’s or were not sufficient for blood grouping and DNA tests.

She confirmed that she tested blood found on five towels, a face cloth, a sponge and a rag from the house at the scene, and that apart from one towel, which could not be linked to anyone, all other blood matched the accused’s or his father’s.

Blood matching the victim’s was found only on his own clothes, his wife’s clothes and those of Patrick Kealy, a witness who gave evidence earlier this week.

The court also heard from members of the emergency services called to the crime scene early that Easter Sunday morning. David Coughlan, who was the emergency medical technician driving the ambulance, said there was a "huge number of people" at the scene.

The jury was told that David Sheridan was wearing nothing above the waist when brought to the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.

Earlier, counsel for the prosecution, Gerard Clarke, SC, read four statements made to gardaí by Patrick Culligan. It followed allegations from the defence that Mr Culligan’s evidence in court was inconsistent with these statements made in the aftermath of the murder.

In both his statements and court evidence, Mr Culligan claimed he saw the accused stab David Sheridan through the chest with a screwdriver.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Roderick Murphy and a jury of six men and six women.