A FORENSIC scientist has told a court that a semen stain on a coat belonging to one of two teenage women murdered 37 years ago showed no signs of having been later disturbed.

Andrew Davidson, who co-authored a report after carrying out DNA analysis on items worn by victims Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, both 17, said yesterday the stain on Ms Scott's jacket was closely linked to the body being deposited.

Mr Davidson said he analysed the stain and found that it showed no sign of having been disturbed by movement.

He was giving evidence at the trial of Angus Sinclair, who is charged with raping and murdering the two young women, at the High Court in Livingston. Mr Sinclair, 69, denies the charges.

Mr Davidson said that DNA matching Mr Sinclair's appeared to be the "prominent contributor" to genetic material detected in the stain. The teenagers were last seen at the World's End pub in Edinburgh on October 15, 1977.

Christine's body was found the following afternoon at Gosford Bay in Aberlady, East Lothian, while Helen's body was discovered a few hours later in a field near Haddington.

This was one factor which suggests the depositing of the stain was "closely linked to the deposition of Helen Scott's body", the court heard.

The trial continues.